Regeneration

A theatre in Doncaster left vacant for nearly 30 years has been put up for auction, with no reserve price.

Opened in 1899, The Grand Theatre in Doncaster closed in 1995 after being used as a bingo hall for over 30 years.

It has been on the Theatres at Risk Register since 2006.

A 2021 feasibility study into returning the grade II-listed building to use as a performance venue found its condition was so poor that even with urgently needed repairs, it would only be able to partially reopen with a reduced audience capacity.

Mr Vandenbrook, Associate Director at auction house Mark Jenkinson, told the BBC that residents were "saddened" to see the building's gradual decline.

He said: "It has been unused for almost 30 years, and putting the property up for sale at auction with nil reserve will no doubt be the catalyst for a positive new future for this much-loved Victorian icon, which definitely has the potential to become an asset to the city centre economy once again."

He added: "While it would be tremendous to see it return to use as an arts venue, in recent years, other period properties within the city centre, such as the Wool Market, have undergone sympathetic redevelopment that has given them a new identity, attracting more people into the city centre and serving as prime examples of successful regeneration projects."

A grade 1 listed arts centre in Somerset is set for regeneration using money from the government's Towns Fund.

The proposed work on Bridgwater Arts Centre will include new lighting and sound equipment, improved soundproofing and an additional 25 sq m of internal floor space.There will also be improvements to the venue's exhibition spaces and better wheelchair access.

Bridgwater Town Council, which is leading on the project, is inviting local businesses to tender for the work, with a deadline of the end of August for applications.

A total of £700,000 will come from government funds, with the council adding a further £66,800 and £22,438 coming from the arts centre's own funds. 

The town centre building was originally built in the 1720s. It was extended in 1919 when a billiard hall (later a theatre) was added. It became an arts centre in 1946.  

A spokesperson said the alterations "will provide significant improvement in the ability of the arts centre to properly utilise the building, to allow better access for all, and to provide improved facilities for building users and visitors".

A scheme to renovate an Isles of Scilly building and turn it into a museum has secured an additional £3.4m in funding.

The project, led by the Council of the Isles of Scilly and the Isles of Scilly Museum Association, aims to restore and extend the Grade II-listed St Mary's Town Hall and turn it into a museum and cultural centre.

The latest money, which comes from a programme managed by Cornwall Council funded by the UK government's shared Prosperity Fund, means the project is fully funded, with a total of £15.7m now raised.

Cornwall Council said the cultural centre and museum would provide a "much-needed" indoor venue for cinema, theatre and live music performances.

Louis Gardner, Cornwall Council's Portfolio Holder for Economy, said: "Once complete, it will create an enduring social and economic legacy for the islands while celebrating their unique culture and heritage."

The Swan Theatre in Worcester has been added to a list of organisations set to benefit from a share of £5m of Levelling Up funding after Worcester City Council (WCC) was given an extension on submitting its spending plans.

The council was originally expected to deliver its final plan on 10 May, but the deadline has been moved to 3 June.

The original spending strategy included awarding £1.6m to create space for more events and exhibitions at the Corn Exchange, £900,000 to create a sustainable events venue at Pitchcroft and £742,000 to refurbish the Gheluvelt Park bandstand.

In its updated proposal, which was put before the Policy and Resources Committee on 23 April, the council has added a £155,000 grant to The Swan Theatre to improve the foyer and accessibility, including a new lift, accessible toilet, and changing facilities.

Just two years ago, The Swan was saved from closure after Worcester City Council scrapped plans to sell it off to fund 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.

Other projects added to WCC's Levelling Up proposals include £65,000 for a mobile music vehicle £65,000, £350,000 to acquire a building as office and storage space for the Scala, and £22,000 on a portable outdoor stage.

Theatres Trust has announced the second round of grant recipients for its Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities programme. 

The grants, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Pilgrim Trust and the Swire Charitable Trust, can be used to help restore, reopen or revitalise venues on the Theatres at Risk Register, published by Theatres Trust.

Seven venues will share the £57,850 fund, including Amulet Theatre in Shepton Mallet, The Groundlings Theatre Trust in Portsmouth, Hulme Hippodrome, Leith Theatre, Netherton Arts Centre in Dudley, Ramsbottom Co-op Hall and Spilsby Sessions House.

Recipients of this round have pledged to put the money toward fundraising and business planning strategies, community engagement and outreach, conditions surveys and an oral history project.

Emergency roof repairs were carried out across four galleries at the British Museum last week following an "endless series of leaks", according to a report in Arts Newspaper.

The action was taken in galleries containing Greek, Cypriot and Japanese artworks, where buckets were being used to catch drips and extra heaters to reduce humidity levels.

In a speech last year, museum Chair George Osborne acknowledged issues with the museum's fabric: "For decades, it has been patched up in a piecemeal way and by closing galleries when the rain comes in."

Plans to upgrade the entire building, starting with galleries on the ground floor, are in place. However, progress was impacted by the resignation of director Hartwig Fischer following the revelation last year that over 2,000 artefacts had been lost, stolen or damaged over a 19-year period.

Last December, the British Museum signed a 10-year partnership with oil giant BP to fund a significant redevelopment of its Bloomsbury premises in a move that environmental groups have heavily criticised.

The museum said the £50m from BP will help it deliver its master plan and ensure millions of visitors can "continue to access the collection for generations to come".

In a statement to Arts Newspaper, a museum spokesperson said: "We have been open about the fact it is in need of full-scale renovation." They added that the museum's master plan represents "one of the most significant cultural redevelopment projects undertaken anywhere in the world."