Ex-city arts boss working on Carlisle’s Renaissance
Last updated 09:15, Friday, 20 March 2009

Carlisle City Council’s former arts development manager Mick North who was made redundant last year is back working as a consultant for Carlisle Renaissance.

Mr North, who received a £130,000 redundancy package, is now acting for Nick Jones Arts and Cultural Services, which is advising Carlisle Renaissance on proposals for Carlisle’s “historic quarter”.

Renaissance managers are not saying how much the consultants are being paid.

Ian McNichol, director of Carlisle Renaissance, said: “One of our priorities is to maximise the economic and cultural potential of the historic quarter and its key assets.

“We are interested in the role this can play supporting the development of a wider cultural offering in Carlisle.“We have recently commissioned Nick Jones Arts and Cultural Services to undertake research into the key opportunities, and how they might be progressed. Mick North is employed as an associate by Nick Jones Arts and Cultural Services on this work.”

The research is expected to take six to eight weeks.

Mr North used to be based at Tullie House and was heavily involved in Brampton Live.

When he lost his job he circulated an email to colleagues critical of the Conservative-led council’s attitude to the arts.

Council leader Mike Mitchelson maintains that it was right for Mr North to go even though he is now being re-employed temporarily.

He said: “Mick North’s job was redundant due to the withdrawal of funding by the Arts Council. He’s not doing that job now. He is being re-employed by somebody else.”

Taken from The News & Star / [Link] / [Back to top]

New Lonsdale could help to rejuvenate city
Last updated 21:17, Wednesday, 18 March 2009

A THEATRE and arts centre in Carlisle’s former Lonsdale Cinema could be a catalyst to help turn around the city’s fortunes, a new report says.

Consultants Roger Lancaster Associates argue that the 1930s art-deco building in Warwick Road is ripe for conversion.

The project would cost £11.7m and, once open, need a subsidy of £500,000 a year. However, the wider benefits to the city could be enormous.

The feasibility study, commissioned by Carlisle City Council, says the Grade II listed building might house:

n A 400-450 capacity theatre;

n A smaller studio theatre, seating 180-200;

n A 225-seater cinema;

n Workshops, meeting rooms, foyer and exhibition spaces, a restaurant and bars.

A theatre would boost tourism and increase spending in nearby shops and restaurants, the study says. It also speculates that the Lonsdale could become a “cultural hub” bringing back into use other empty buildings.

It adds: “The potential exists around the Lonsdale and in Warwick Road, for example the Post Office building, to create cultural industry facilities. These could include business starter units, studios and office spaces in close proximity to the Lonsdale that would provide a real focus for the local creative community.

“The potential of arts buildings to contribute to social and economic regeneration in their locality can be significant.”

Hundreds of people marched through the city centre in February 2006 calling for the Lonsdale to be saved. Campaigners have welcomed Roger Lancaster’s findings.

Edna Croft, who chairs the Save Our Lonsdale group, said: “We feel the report is extremely positive. We would like now to move to the next stage, which is to prepare a business plan. We need that before we apply for funding from the Arts Council and the Lottery.”

The feasibility study will be considered by the city council’s executive on Monday. Its £11.7m estimate is roughly half the figure quoted in a previous study for a new theatre/arts centre.

However, council leader Mike Mitchelson has indicated the authority does not have the money to fund either the conversion or the annual subsidy.

He said: “We have aspirations for a theatre/arts centre in Carlisle and we will look at ways we can help provide that. But we won’t be providing it ourselves. Whatever is there has to be sustainable.”

Opposition Labour councillors have criticised Mr Mitchelson’s stance.

Labour leader Michael Boaden said: “We have continually pressed for the council to examine potential development of the vacant buildings in that area but as usual the leadership lacks the vision or the drive to take things forward.”

There is a chance that Carlisle Renaissance could support the conversion as part of its regeneration plans.

A Renaissance spokeswoman said that funding might be available “if it could be demonstrated it would deliver economic benefits”.

A case would have to be put to the Northwest Regional Development Agency, she added, following an initial approach from the city council.

The University of Cumbria needs a 200-seat theatre to replace the Stanwix Arts Theatre when it abandons its Brampton Road site in 2012.

But it has ruled out involvement in the Lonsdale as it wants the facility to be within its new riverside campus.

Raising money is only one of the obstacles the Lonsdale campaigners must overcome.

The £11.7m conversion estimate could rise following a structural survey.

And that figure does not include the cost of buying the building from developer Empera Estates.

Empera has lodged an appeal against the Lonsdale’s listed status. If it wins, it plans to demolish the building to make way to make way for 82 flats.

The feasibility study outlines two options for how the Lonsdale might be converted.

The first would have a cinema and arts centre on the ground floor and the two theatres at first-floor level.

The alternative has the main theatre on the ground floor, the studio theatre on the first floor and the cinema above that.

Under this proposal, the original art-deco foyer would serve as a restaurant and bar fronting Warwick Road.

Both options assume the balcony is removed subject to listed-building consent.

The report says the main theatre could host touring productions, perhaps from Keswick’s Theatre by the Lake or groups such as Hull Truck and Northern Broadsides.

The studio theatre would accommodate smaller, more informal events such as comedy, jazz and salsa clubs.

The cinema’s programme would complement the Vue cinema in Botchergate, rather than compete with it. It might include classic movies, films for children, arthouse and foreign-language films.

When not in use, the cinema could be used for conferences.

Taken from The News & Star / [Link] / [Back to top]

Carlisle transformation plans 'an insult to the public’
Last updated 12:43, Wednesday, 04 March 2009

The latest attempt to kick start Carlisle Renaissance has been dismissed as “daft” by Labour city councillors.

The private sector-led Renaissance board has drawn up an action plan, which was approved by Carlisle City Council last night, but not before opposition Labour councillors had bemoaned the slow progress of Renaissance.

The regeneration scheme is a response to the 2005 floods yet, four years on, none of its projects has been completed.

Colin Glover, deputy leader of the Labour group, said:“This isn’t an action plan. It’s a wish list, an enhanced version of what someone might send to Father Christmas. There is no indication who is responsible for what and when it will be delivered.”

Labour leader Michael Boaden said: “What insults the intelligence of people is the hundreds of thousands of pounds this council is pouring into Carlisle Renaissance. The total public [sector] bill is £4m rising to £7m with nothing to show for it.”

The action plan outlines four schemes. These are: developing a city centre campus for the University of Cumbria; maximising the assets of Carlisle’s “historic quarter”; strengthening the city centre; and developing new sites for business near the three M6 junctions.

Mr Boaden said Renaissance was trying to claim the credit for things that were happening anyway.

But council leader Mike Mitchelson said: “We will drive this forward because we believe in the future of this city.

Taken from The News & Star / [Link] / [Back to top]