Funding Disappointment For Music Hall

Ambitious plans to transform Shrewsbury’s Music Hall into a heritage interpretation centre for the county were dealt a setback yesterday when the Heritage Lottery Fund announced that it missed out by the narrowest of margins in the current round of bidding.

Commenting on the decision, Council Manager for Shrewsbury & Atcham Council, Geraint Morgan said:
"As an Authority Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council is hugely disappointed with the decision of the Heritage Lottery Fund not to support our bid for the project at the Music Hall.  The proposal to create a 'complete' visitor experience including a modern museum and Visitor Information Centre at the Music Hall is a visionary one and considered worthwhile by officers and councillors of both Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council and Shropshire County Council.  It will complete a much larger cultural development in Shrewsbury that services the town itself and the wider county. The opening of the Theatre Severn early in 2009 paves the way for the development of a dormant Music Hall and its location in the centre of Shrewsbury makes it ideal for the proposed development.”

Cllr Charles Armstrong added:
“The Music Hall is a tremendous asset to the town's heritage and our future visitor economy and we feel strongly that the scheme will be delivered by 2011.  I would like to thank both the officers and volunteers of the Council who have done so much to develop this project and to the HLF caseworkers who have tried so hard to get this scheme funded.”

The Project Board at Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council will be meeting to discuss the options. The scheme can already be delivered within the present budget albeit in a much reduced level. Avenues will continue to be explored to provide the funds to achieve the original vision of the scheme.

Lezley Picton, Cultural Services Manager.
Tel. 01743 281273