ACE seeks ‘urgent’ talks on future of Bristol Beacon

Arts Council England (ACE) is pushing for "urgent" talks with Bristol City Council amid concerns that the local authority wants to take control of the city's Beacon venue.

Although the historic building is owned by the council, it is run by Bristol Music Trust which has a 30-year lease arrangement with no break clause.

But spiralling costs for an ongoing refurbishment project, which Bristol Council is responsible for and has now put £83.9m towards, has prompted the local authority to "identify alternative operational models". 

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It has said that this is in order to ensure it "receives value for money for its investment".

But ACE, which has committed around £22m to the redevelopment, has expressed concern over the potential implications for the trust.

“The local and national significance of Bristol Music Trust is immense, and anything that compromises their ability to deliver on their charitable objectives within their Bristol Beacon home, naturally gives us cause for concern,” ACE South West area director, Phil Gibby, said.

“We will be seeking an urgent meeting with the city council to seek their assurances on this matter.”

Restoration

Bristol Beacon, formerly known as Colston Hall, has been closed for refurbishment work – which includes improvements to the 2,000-plus capacity Beacon Hall, the 500 capacity Lantern Hall as well as a new 200 capacity Weston Cellar – since 2018.

Bristol City Council initially contributed £10m out of a total budget of £49m. But projected costs have risen significantly since then.

In 2021, the council agreed to increase its investment to a total of £59m toward the estimated £106.9m total cost. In January the council upped this again, committing a further £24.9m to the project, taking its total investment in the refurbished building to £83.9m of the £131.9m total cost. 

Around £44m in funding – including the £22m contributed by ACE – has been raised towards the cost of the work by Bristol Music Trust.

A report on the council's additional investment, published in January, said that the project has "changed fundamentally" from its initial business case, adding that the future operation "must set out to provide a revenue stream to Bristol City Council to reflect the substantial investment in the asset".

The council has said it will no longer provide financial support to Bristol Music Trust once the building reopens in November, and will ensure future leasing arrangements with the trust include revenue to the council.

"In parallel with a renegotiation of a lease with [the trust], Bristol City Council will undergo market testing to identify alternative operational models to ensure that as well as protecting the cultural impact of Bristol Beacon, the council receives value for money for its investment," the report states.

Financial challenges

A Bristol Beacon spokesperson said: “We are currently in discussion about the future financial arrangements between Bristol Music Trust, the music charity responsible for running Bristol Beacon, and Bristol City Council.

“Whilst discussions are ongoing, it wouldn’t be right to comment on the details. However, we can confirm that, as set out in the Cabinet papers in January 2023, the city council has informed the Trust of its intention to end the current revenue support once the venue is reopened.

“We understand the financial challenges faced by the city council and are committed to finding a workable solution that enables us as a music charity to continue delivering vital cultural services and music education to the people of Bristol.”

A spokesperson for Bristol City Council said: “Discussions remain ongoing to finalise arrangements for the management of the Bristol Beacon building, which is owned by Bristol City Council. We are investing to transform it into a world-class music venue”.