Adult education classes will no longer be held at The Amelia Scott in Royal Tunbridge Wells following a decision by Kent County Council, announced by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council on 30 March 2026. The move follows national changes to funding, which have shifted the focus of adult education away from leisure-based learning toward skills specifically for employment.
The changes stem from the restructuring of the national budget, now known as the Adult Skills Fund, which has seen management move from the Department for Education to the Department for Work and Pensions. Under this new framework, subsidised support for leisure learning and for students returning for repeat courses has been removed.
The Amelia Scott, which opened in April 2022 following a 21 million pound redevelopment, was designed as a hub integrating library, museum, and adult education services. The facility was jointly funded by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and Kent County Council, with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England. Since opening, the centre has become a popular community venue, welcoming its one-millionth visitor by June 2025.
The facility currently houses specialised equipment for adult education, including a pottery studio, a digital suite, and workshops for textiles and silversmithing. Kent County Council has confirmed that no decision has been made regarding the future of this equipment or the specific studio spaces. While skills-based courses will continue to run for the remainder of the current academic year until July 2026, the long-term future of these programmes in the area remains under review.
Local officials have expressed concern regarding the loss of these services. Councillor Justine Rutland, the cabinet member for economic development at the borough council, noted that the community shares the dismay over the withdrawal of these long-established creative courses. She also expressed frustration regarding the lack of clear communication from the county council to both students and local officials about how these changes will be managed.
The decision follows a series of funding reductions, including a 5.93 per cent cut announced in April 2025 that accelerated the restructuring of these services across the county. In response to the announcement, residents and students recently held a protest outside The Amelia Scott to voice their disappointment over the removal of these local learning opportunities.
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