Local authorities

Stalled plans to remodel the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil could be funded by selling off one of Somerset County Council’s commercial investments, the council's former Leader has suggested.

In October Somerset County Council put the £30m project on hold due to rising costs, saying that the current business case for the theatre's regeneration could "no longer be met" and "a revised business case would be necessary".

The Somerset County Gazette reports that the local authority, which declared a financial emergency in early November, is currently exploring ways to plug a £87m funding gap for next year – including the sale of surplus land, property and commercial investments.

During a meeting of the council's executive, former Leader David Fothergill said the sale of an energy storage facility near Taunton could be “recycled” back into the Octagon project.

The council's Deputy Leader Liz Leyshon said work to re-examine the scope and cost of the Octagon project is ongoing, with a view to the council publishing its preferred option for moving forward early in the new year.

“There is a great deal of work going at the moment in the back offices between the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Arts Council England South West and our officers on the possibility of a revised option for an Octagon project that would ensure its future as a flagship venue for Somerset," she said.

“That is very delicate work and it is being pursued with all the partners, including Yeovil Town Council."

A 450-seat theatre in a village in Hampshire has been told it must cease performances after it emerged it does not have planning consent from the local council.

The absence of planning permission for Titchfield Festival Theatre’s (TFT) Arden stage, which is currently hosting a pantomime, only emerged after concerns were raised about insufficient parking.

Producing over 30 community productions a year, TFT comprises multiple stages and has occupied its current site for 13 years. The registered charity receives no public subsidy and had a total income of £3,184,873 in the year ending June 2022, with an expenditure of £2,986,074.

Fareham Borough Council said the venue has only been granted permission for use as storage and that the company must stop using it as a theatre by 29 February. Titchfield Festival Theatre Limited can appeal to the Secretary of State by 29 December.

In a statement, TFT Artistic Director Kevin Fraser said: "TFT is proud that it has turned around a disused factory site that it has occupied as a theatre for over 10 years, and has spent £1.7m of their own money making it into the largest community theatre hub in Europe.

"TFT's lawyers have already contested this action by Fareham Borough Council and requested the authority to withdraw it."
 

Thanet Council has revealed plans to restore and modernise Theatre Royal Margate in a bid to transform the Grade II* listed venue into a “nationally significant performing arts hub”.

Proposals put forward for public review include adding a bar and cafe, a 50-seat studio theatre and sound recording studio to the 245-year-old building, as well as rehearsal rooms, offices and accommodation for touring theatre companies.

The council is also testing the market to find a new operator from the performing arts sector for the venue.

Funding of £2.2m has been allocated to the project as part of the Margate Town Deal, but the council says significant external financing is needed. 

To raise funds, Thanet Council has applied to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for a further £3.2m. It is also in conversation with Arts Council England about applying to the Department of Culture Media and Sport’s Cultural Development Fund, launching in 2024. 
 
Ruth Duckworth, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Property at the council, said: “The Theatre Royal is an important historic performance asset, and plays a key role in Margate’s leisure offering. The project to restore and relaunch it is highly ambitious, and it will not be possible without the support of other major funders, an operator with vision and resources, and the support of the community. 

“The Theatre Royal has the potential to provide employment and training opportunities for young people in performing arts and creative careers. It is a truly unique heritage stage, and I would love to see homegrown talent performing in high quality, locally made productions, as well as visiting national and international theatre productions.”

A project to restore a derelict section of Alexandra Palace has been awarded £550k from Historic England’s at-risk programme.

The funding will be used to stabilise the Palace’s North East Office Building and go toward feasibility work looking at how the space can be developed for public benefit.

It marks the latest phase of a major restoration project of the seven-acre site, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Haringey Council, that saw the Palace’s Victorian Theatre reopen in 2018 following 80 years of closure. The North East Office Building is described as “the last remaining truly inaccessible area” of the Grade II listed venue.

Tom Foxall, Regional Director at Historic England, said: "Our funding for the North East Office Building is designed to address the most urgent repair work and act as a springboard to access further funding which will open up the area to the public for the first time. 

“We have worked closely with the Trust for a number of years, helping to shape and secure the repair of the building. Alexandra Palace is a vast site full of unique and intriguing spaces and we’re pleased to be able to support this essential work, following a project development grant in 2020."
 

Proposals to sell off a theatre in Worcester to help pay for a council regeneration project have been scrapped.

Funds from the sale of the 350-seat Swan Theatre were earmarked to go toward a multimillion-pound project to build a new arts venue in the city on the site of the listed Scala Theatre and Corn Exchange buildings.

Original plans for the redevelopment of the Scala site, backed by an £18m grant from the government's Future High Streets Fund, have also been dropped after construction costs for the project almost doubled. A consortium of arts and creative organisations has been engaged to advise Worcester City Council on a revised plan for the arts venue.

Worcester Theatres, which runs the Swan Theatre and the city’s Huntingdon Hall, had been due to take up new headquarters at Scala Theatre.

A spokesperson for Worcester Theatres said: “We are very happy in our current home and will continue to run both the Swan Theatre and Huntingdon Hall for the foreseeable future, bringing a fantastic varied programme of events to Worcester’s city centre.

“While we will not have a role in operating the new Scala venue, we are very pleased the project is continuing to develop and look forward to seeing how the space will be designed and operated as a new arts venue accessible to everyone.

“Perhaps one day even our Worcester Repertory Company may be able to perform there, but of course, until more plans are revealed, it is difficult to say.”