Bid towards £43m Chester theatre is deferred

Feb 2 2012 by David Holmes, Chester Chronicle

CULTURE bosses have offered reassurances after a funding deadline expired for a grant toward the proposed £43m theatre at the former Odeon.

Officers at Cheshire West and Chester Council had hoped to submit a £5m bid to the Arts Council in December but pulled out just three days before the closing date.

The Arts Council is allocating £180m National Lottery money over the next four years for large capital grants in England.

A council spokesman said the authority had been advised that competition in the first round was fierce given this was the first time in a number of years such funding had been made available.

Council officers were advised to hold off until the second round of funding, which is expected to open in the second quarter of 2012/13, to stand a better chance of success.

Council spokesman Ian Callister said there was no impact on the timetable with the theatre due to open in 2014 or 2015.

And if the Arts Council money was not forthcoming alternative funding sources would be pursued.

Work was ongoing to deliver the theatre including archaeology, conservation work, a procurement strategy and preparatory work ahead of the demolition of the adjacent Commerce House.

Colourful cladding has been attached to the Odeon building to create excitement about the project.

Mr Callister added: “We have got to convince the Arts Council. We have also got to convince everybody else that Chester wants its theatre.”

An Arts Council spokeswoman said: “We discussed the situation for the first round of funding with Cheshire West and Chester Council and they decided to defer their bid until a later round.

“There will, of course, be competition for this funding at every round and success is not guaranteed for any applicant.”