The Arts Council have turned down the application for funding on the New Theatre refurb... http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Arts...tre-facelift/story-28530432-detail/story.html
It looks like we made a right mess of the Arts Council application... Hull New Theatre £5m extension bid rejected after 'serious' concerns over council business plan please log in to view this image A £5m bid to extend Hull New Theatre was rejected because of "serious concern" over a business case submitted by the city council, the Mail can reveal. The decision by the Arts Council to turn down the bid last month was described as "disappointing" by the council's cabinet member for visitor destination and UK City of Culture, Councillor Steve Bayes. The council is now reviewing plans to build the extension, including a new main entrance and a café overlooking Kingston Square. Refurbishment work inside the venue to increase backstage space will still go ahead, with the £6.7m cost being met by the council. Hull's bid failed to make a shortlist of 16 projects around the country that have now been invited to apply for the second stage of the Arts Council's large capital grants programme. An internal Arts Council report on the Hull bid highlights serious concerns over key parts of the business case submitted by the council and its property contractors NPS. It says: "Although this application appears to meet the goals of the Arts Council capital programme, the supporting information is not full and there are many areas where the compliance is not demonstrated due to the lack of supporting information. "The feasibility study is incomplete and the project costs presented in a manner that restricts analysis for a project at an advanced design stage." The report questions the "suitability of experience" of the consultants and proposed contractors as well as the suggested timetable of works, which indicated construction would start just three days after a final approval decision. "The practicalities of this are questionable," it says. Doubts raised over proposal The Arts Council report found a supporting feasibility study for the theatre extension fell well short of expectations. It said it did not include a detailed project cost plan, any consideration of likely legal issues or an appraisal of likely running costs after the work had been completed. There were also queries over the project's budget estimates and the lack of any breakdown on client costs and design fees. http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull...tory-28744638-detail/story.html#ixzz40PkcPqEB
"Lack of any breakdown of costs" - seems like a "we'll just charge X amount and take any money left over for ourselves haha.
Its not a surprise is it with this Jobs for your mates council. We've got no plan but can we have some cash for an extension please Arts Council
The theatre redevelopment cost has increased to £15.7m and it now won't be open during the City of Culture year (now due to open in the second half of 2017, probably around September), which is mildly ridiculous. The theatre redevelopment needs to take place, we can't currently accommodate any of the large touring shows, instead they go to Leeds, York and Sheffield, but if it couldn't be done in time, we should have kept it open as it is and made it a legacy project in 2018.
Hull New Theatre revamp delayed by months in bid to 'get it right' please log in to view this image HULL New Theatre will reopen several months later than planned after a planned refurbishment. Council officials had hoped to have the city's largest theatre ready for Easter next year after a multi-million-pound facelift. But they now say the venue is not expected to reopen until late August or early September during Hull's year as the UK City of Culture. The stretched timetable is the result of uncertainty over funding for part of the project, coupled with a redesign to meet new planning requirements for flood alleviation measures. Cash from the £13m announced for Hull 2017 by Chancellor George Osborne in his budget last week will close the funding gap. A new planning application seeking to raise a proposed extension to the theatre by almost one metre has recently been submitted. Overall, it means the total cost of the makeover has risen to £15.9m. The council will spend £10.9m on the refurbishment, with the rest coming from the Government. Councillor Steven Bayes, cabinet member for visitor destination, said: "We always said we hoped to reopen by Easter but I have also always said this was going to be a very difficult project because we are dealing with a historic building which was not originally built as a theatre. "Because of the building's nature, Easter was always going to be challenging aim and that was before the funding issue and the new flood prevention requirements. The important thing is to make sure we get it right for future generations." Cllr Bayes said he saw no problem in the theatre being closed for at least eight months of the City of Culture year. He said: "This was never about having a venue for the whole of 2017. It's about being able to create a theatre capable of staging bigger shows and offering an improved customer experience with new bars and restaurants." The theatre closed in January after the end of the annual pantomime. Since then, specialists have been removing areas of asbestos and carrying out technical surveys to provide a further detailed assessment of the building to determine what structural and refurbishment work is required. The facelift will add another 200 seats in the main auditorium to create a 1,400-capacity venue. It will also see a major extension of the theatre's backstage areas and the construction of a 27m fly tower capable of storing large scenery during touring productions. Martin Green, Hull 2017 chief executive, said: "I am delighted the full refurbishment of the theatre can now go ahead, offering the people of Hull and visitors an experience that is second to none. "All of Hull's cultural venues are an integral part of 2017 and we are working with the theatre to ensure it plays a core role in our year-long events programme." http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull...tory-28971915-detail/story.html#ixzz43iMoJr4x
Cllr Bayes said he saw no problem in the theatre being closed for at least eight months of the City of Culture year. He said: "This was never about having a venue for the whole of 2017. It's about being able to create a theatre capable of staging bigger shows and offering an improved customer experience with new bars and restaurants."
Press Release - Hull New Theatre project boost following cash injection - 23/03/2016 Following the warmly welcomed announcement in the Chancellor's Budget of a direct £13m contribution to Hull's UK City of Culture, with £5m specifically allocated to Hull New Theatre, this project will now progress and help to deliver on the Council's ambition to become a world-class visitor destination. Since its closure in January, specialists have been working at the theatre removing areas of asbestos and undertaking numerous technical surveys to provide a further detailed assessment of the building. This work could only be done when the theatre had closed and further surveys were needed to determine what structural and refurbishment work is required. A crucial part of this scheme is to build a new 27m fly-tower, which is both incredibly challenging and needs specialist equipment available from a very limited number of suppliers. Due to the complexity of this work, further ongoing flood prevention planning work and the delay whilst he funding position was clarified, the planned re-opening of the theatre is confirmed for Summer 2017. Once completed, the theatre will be one of the best and most advanced in the country, ensuring that theatre goers will be able to see some of the best shows on offer and enjoy a significantly enhanced experience. New café bars, a restaurant a will also be added to accommodate extra visitors. Councillor Steven Bayes, Portfolio Holder for Visitor Destination said: "As a Council we are making the biggest investment the city has seen in many years, both for 2017 and as part of a long-term plan to regenerate our economy, securing lasting benefits for the people of Hull and the region. "We have now secured funding to undertake the improvements required which will result in the theatre reopening in the summer of 2017. The end product will be an excellent facility and something that will be a major attraction to residents and visitors to the city for many years. "Investing in Hull's cultural assets is a top priority for the Council and this project is a key element of the city's lasting legacy of 2017, alongside improvements already underway at the Ferens Art Gallery, to our public realm and, in the longer term, the development of the Hull Venue and the city centre cruise terminal. Martin Green, Chief Executive of Hull 2017 said: "I am delighted that the full refurbishment of the theatre can now go ahead, offering the people of Hull and visitors an experience that is second to none. "All of Hull's cultural venues are an integral part of 2017 and we are working with the theatre to ensure that it plays a core role in our year-long events programme". http://www.hullcc.gov.uk/portal/pag...h=Mar-16&p_page_number=1&content=pressrelease
Same old HCC - so much talk and debate, not a lot of 'doing'. They've had since November 2013 to get the ball rolling on projects, and have now left it so late that half the city is going to be closed during our year in the spotlight.
Heard that Bayes f***wit on blunderside today, shocking clueless attitude to COC17, is he the new Terry Geraghty?
Id like to know where the cash is coming from. £36 million for Venue £11 million for New Theatre £7 For ice arena ????? Wildly optimistic
Lets be kind to the council and call them inept, when did they last deliver a major project on budget and on time? (original budget and timescale not the endless revisions!!)
The KC Stadium. In fact it actually came in a couple of million under budget which was supposed to be held back for landscaping. The biggest disappoint though is that the stadium and surrounding area was then left ( and still is) with nothing going on, no further development and no sign of it 'kick starting' the HU3 area which it was supposed to do. Job half done.
It's getting worse... Also not happening in 2017: Queens Gardens facelift and new Mick Ronson stage. Ready by 2019.
