Capital of cultural fregeneration?

May 16 2008 by Barry Ellams, Chester Chronicle

A campaign is under way to address the city’s lack of theatre, cinema and music venues. Could 2008 be the year Chester spreads its wings as a city of culture vultures? BARRY ELLAMS reports

IN Stanley Kubrick’s horror film The Shining, Jack Nicholson reveals his faltering state of mind when he types repeatedly on reams on paper “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.

The classic movie, to be screened at Stanley Palace in June, is a timely antidote to those driven to distraction by Chester’s lack of cultural facilities.

With the Performing Arts Centre pencilled in for the Northgate quarter for 2012, and a planning application for the former Odeon building pending, Cestrians could fall into the trap of thinking Chester doesn’t do culture.

However, as Liverpool celebrates its Capital of Culture Year, 2008 could prove the year when Chester organisations sowed the seeds of cultural regeneration.

Leading city organisations, English Heritage, Chester Zoo, Visit Chester & Cheshire (VCC), Chester Festivals, Chester Performs, Art for Art’s Sake, Cheshire County and Chester City Councils are meeting regularly, with the aim of breathing new life into Chester’s streets.

The group met on Monday at the offices of tourism board Visit Chester and Cheshire, who are keen to nurture the city’s image as ‘European’ – vibrant with street theatre, music and entertainment.

A commitment to Chester’s cultural activities was partly sparked by the recent visit of Culture Minister Margaret Hodge, who met leading figures from the world of arts, heritage, media and the hotel industry in Chester.

Mrs Hodge said: “Here in Chester you have a lovely city with an absolutely stunning heritage. The real challenge is to do all you can do to maximise the potential of the benefits you have.”

Chester MP Christine Russell, who attended the meeting on Monday, believes culture is “such a fantastic catalyst for economic development.”

She said: “Two separate priorities have been identified. One is improving the attractiveness of the city centre as a visitor destination and pleasant place to shop.

“Secondly, improving the cultural offer which is really poor for a city the size and stature of Chester.

“Chester is unique in that it has so much to offer but the one gap is cultural provision.

“There is diversity in the city’s bars and restaurants. Chester is now a city of global cuisine. However, we still need to make Chester exciting for young people and a cinema is the one place where parents all agree which is a safe, secure, fun environment for youngsters to meet. Coffee bars also need to stay open later.

“Apart from going to the zoo, there are not many evenings out in Chester for the family and that needs to be addressed.”

Arts Council-funded Chester Performs, which is staging a series of arts/entertainment events in 2008, believes the city now has a lobbying voice.

Andrew Bentley, chief executive of Chester Performs, said: “The unanimity of opinion around the table is quite significant.

“There is no doubt about what is needed. The biggest priority is to ensure we provide good esssential facilties to attract and entertain people in the centre of Chester.”

This summer, Chester throws events including The Chester Mystery Plays, Chester Music Festival, an open-air cinema festival, Screen Deva and street performance and art.

The city itself becomes a cultural incubator with The Walls, Chester Cathedral, Rows, cafes, shops, pubs, Cheshire Gardens and Chester Zoo all used as venues for music, art, poetry readings, fesitivities and live entertainment.

Last week, Chester Renaissance appointed Shane Flynn as its chairman.

He will aim to drive forward the £1.5billion portfolio of commercial development and public-funded projects including Tower Wharf, HQ, the Roman Amphitheatre, Grosvenor park and the Chester Walls.

The name Renaissance conjures an image of cultural vigour, yet the burden of responsibility will remain on Chester Festivals, Chester Performs, local actors, musicians and artists to balance the city’s rising number of hospitality venues, with restaurants, bars and clubs with live entertainment.

Chester Renaissance is also an opportunity for local families and professionals, who feel culturally divorced from their city and have since eloped to Liverpool, Wirral and Manchester for an evening’s entertainment, to give their home city a second chance.