Executive Summary and Recommendations

A vision statement!

To develop Shrewsbury as the pre-eminent local, county and sub-regional centre for leisure, cultural and visitor attractions and activities.

Objectives

1. To provide cultural facilities which recognise and reinforce Shrewsbury's status as the county town, including the development of a new theatre.
2. To develop visitor and leisure related facilities including those linked to Shrewsbury association with evolutionary history (including Darwin) and its role as the County Town taking into account the recommendations arising from 'Team Tourism' which is currently being undertaken.
3. To optimise the leisure/cultural/visitor potential of current Council property (and where appropriate privately owned property) in contributing to the vision statement.
4. To work in partnership with the private, voluntary and public sector to ensure a co-ordinated approach to cultural and visitor development is achieved.

1. Member Involvement

The establishment of a cross party member and officer working group to provide the 'engine house' to determine initially

1. a strategy for the achievement of the vision (a short term exercise with various initiatives in the vision already at different stages!)
2. proposals/timetable/finance for the fulfilment of the objectives.
3. To develop a revenue plan to identify and cover the revenue costs of the objectives.

This working group at the appropriate time would be charged with implementation of the strategy.

The working group needs to be headed by a 'driver', determined to deliver the projects and initiatives identified.

2. External Assistance (or internal specialist staff) financed from capital

External assistance is already in place from Advantage West Midlands regarding the consultancy work of Team Tourism on the Visitor Economy Strategy. It will be necessary for other expertise to be enlisted at appropriate times to progress the strategy overall and for individual projects (there are already theatre consultants engaged). Funding and access to funding is a specific skill.

The enlisting of a small number of individuals representing other interests in the town, but who accept the overall concept, will also be advantageous and should be at the discretion of the working group.

Recommendations

There are a number of formal recommendations that need to be made as soon as possible so that the basis for further work can be established. These are:-

a. Theatre

1. That Cabinet confirm that it is their intention to progress the building of a new entertainment venue in Shrewsbury as soon as possible and that they see the development of such a venue as a major contribution to the consolidation of Shrewsbury as the cultural centre of Shropshire and surrounding area.
2. That Cabinet inform Dunedin that it wishes them to progress the comprehensive redevelopment of the Smithfield Road area to include a theatre, improved retail, parking, bus station and other appropriate town centre facilities.
3. That Dunedin be requested to respond to these proposals by 20 August 2003 together with a phased timescale for the development with the new theatre, bus station and car parking in the first phase. If this proposal is not acceptable or achievable then they should identify an acceptable alternative site for the theatre and the Smithfield Road scheme varied accordingly.
4. Should Dunedin not be able to proceed on the above basis, the Council to reconsider the feasibility of accommodating a theatre on the former Telephone House site.

b. Music Hall

1. That Cabinet thank all interested parties for their contribution of views as to the possible future use of Shrewsbury Music Hall and encourage further interested parties to make their views known.
2. That Cabinet however, in order to focus discussion, inform all parties that it is not their intention to maintain the Music Hall as a performing venue at a cost to the Council when the new theatre is opened.
3. That the development of the Music Hall as an extension to the current Museum Service be explored with particular reference to Visual Arts/Gallery space and officers report back to an early meeting of Cabinet on how to progress this option.
4. In addition to 3. above, that expressions of interest be invited from the private sector (when appropriate) as to the provision and management of a visitor attraction based on the findings of the Visitor Economy Strategy or Darwin theme at the Music Hall.

c. Museum/TIC

1. That Cabinet formally reject the proposals for the major redevelopment and Rowley's House Museum/Barker Street, but expresses its thanks to all officers, members and partners for their contribution to the scheme.
2. That Cabinet ask officers to report back on proposals to prepare an amended scheme in Rowley's House/Barker Street area to incorporate:–

1. Relocation of TIC to Rowley's House Museum
2. Establishment of a themed Shrewsbury/Shropshire Museum in the remainder of the building including a new gallery to promote a 'Time Tour' of the town
3. Improvements to current Rowley's House Museum to accommodate 2. plus improvements to facilitate access, staff and public facilities
4. Establishment of a coach 'dropping off' point in Barker Street/Bridge Street area
5. Establishment of new town centre public conveniences in Barker Street area, linked to or separate from 1, 2, 3 and 4 above.

d. The Visitor Economy

1. That 'Team Tourism' recommendations on the Visitor Economy Strategy be considered by Cabinet in January 2004 with the intent of examining further any new town centre facilities contributing to those findings.
2. That 'Team Tourism' be made aware of the importance of the interpretation of the role of Shrewsbury Abbey in the development of the town.
3. That the Town Centre Strategy Steering Group be requested to ensure that the Strategy emphasises the vision for Shrewsbury to become a significant cultural and tourism destination as outlined in this report.

Working Group

That a cross party Working Group (Shrewsbury 2010) be established immediately to complement the current Visitor Economy Strategy Steering Group with a remit to progress the recommendations in this Report with a further remit to second any relevant officer or individual it deems appropriate. The Group to report to Cabinet in the autumn and to be chaired by the relevant Portfolio Holder for Culture.