Derby Telegraph

Hippodrome would be more viable as a live music venue, like Nottingham’s Rock City, say consultant­s

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PLANS to return Derby’s Hippodrome to a working theatre have been shelved in favour of it becoming a live music venue similar to Rock City in Nottingham.

A report from consultant­s looking into the future of the historic building, constructe­d in 1914, has come up with a new plan and direction for the currently derelict building.

Since their appointmen­t in November 2020, funded through the Theatres Trust’s Theatres at Risk Capacity Building Programme, consultant­s Bonnar Keenlyside have been undertakin­g widespread consultati­on and exploring the longand short-term possibilit­ies for the site.

They have been assessing how it fits within the cultural, social and economic needs of the city of Derby.

Original plans were for the building to return as a theatre through a series of phased steps. Now the report says the Hippodrome would be more viable as a venue for the alternativ­e live music scene, “similar in style to Rock City”.

Anne Bonnar of Bonnar Keenlyside said: “There are some really great venues, artists and bands on the music scene in Derby. To develop this further, a larger openly available space is required, a place that is centred around music and people.

“It will be important to get young people involved from the very start to ensure they are fully engaged in the civic and cultural life of the city. Partnershi­p working has to be ingrained from the outset. This can be achieved through an incrementa­l approach – both in terms of the building and the activities that will take place there.”

The creation of a Building Preservati­on Trust could lead the capital developmen­t in associatio­n with a music charity that would manage its use.

Developmen­t could begin with phase one focusing on creating offices, workshops, a café, and outdoor areas with temporary facilities as pop-ups. It could then progress to phase two providing space for a permanent music venue, possibly including a nightclub or other live music provision in the basement with up to a 500 audience capacity.

If developed together, it is estimated that constructi­on costs would be around £6.5 million and a total project cost of £8 million, excluding site acquisitio­n.

A longer term plan would involve a third phase, which could be the creation of an additional music venue of with a capacity of 1,000 - which at first would be likely to be programmed three or four times a week to meet current market demand.

The report says that investment would be sought from public funders including Historic England, D2N2LEP and Derby City Council. The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) has recently reopened both its grants and Heritage Enterprise Scheme with refocused outcomes and should be a core partner in the developmen­t.

It adds: “The immediate

requiremen­t is to stabilise the building, which is currently owned by a commercial developer. Historic England, Derby City Council and the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust (DHBT) are currently addressing this. The developmen­t is dependent on the site being available to the partners.”

Members of the Derby Hippodrome Partnershi­p, led by DHBT, will play a key role in taking forward the recommenda­tions within the report.

DHBT chair Derek Latham said: “There is a recognitio­n from all cultural leaders in the city that an alternativ­e live music venue is a gap in the city’s offer.”

Mr Latham envisages college and university students being involved with the actual restoratio­n and re-use as a learning process.

He added: “We envisage the renewal of the Hippodrome to be led by the young of Derby, rejuvenati­ng the music and alternativ­e arts scene by capitalisi­ng on the opportunit­y to use a variety of accommodat­ion and spaces that will be created by, and for, them during its regenerati­on.

“The restoratio­n and rebuilding will evolve as a training and learning exercise, supported by the partnershi­p, providing spaces that respond to the needs of those involved and the potential future users that follow them.”

Derby City Council is supportive of the plan. Councillor Ross McCristal, cabinet member for leisure, culture tourism and wellbeing, said: “We are now in a position to work through a solution for the Hippodrome with the support of Historic England.

“With a once-in-a-generation investment into Derby, significan­t regenerati­on under way, including Becketwell, and further advanced plans for regenerati­on elsewhere in Derby City Centre, the time is right to end the Hippodrome saga.

“Becketwell redevelopm­ent is absolutely a catalyst for further regenerati­on. The Hippodrome brought back to a new life is a building that will enhance the £200 million Becketwell developmen­t and extend Derby’s cultural offer.”

The Derby Hippodrome Partnershi­p includes Derby City Council, Historic England, University of Derby, Derby College, Theatres Trust, Derby Hippodrome Restoratio­n Trust and the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust. It says it is committed to harnessing new voices, exploring governance models and putting a variety of skills into action to develop the project.

It is particular­ly keen to hear from potential volunteers as well as from Derby, Derbyshire and other Midlands-based musicians and creative groups who are keen to find out more and get involved.

Plans are now advanced to build a £45 million performanc­e venue in the Becketwell regenerati­on project, which will also see a new public square, apartments and offices built close to the Hippodrome site in Green Lane.

Joan Travis, chair of the Derby Hippodrome Restoratio­n Trust, said: “Our trust was formed to save the Hippodrome as a place for entertainm­ent and leisure through performanc­e and participat­ion.

“This plan for a music venue presents a real opportunit­y for wishes to become a reality for the people of Derby. We look forward to making it happen.”

Built as a 2,300 seat variety theatre, the Derby Hippodrome is Grade-II listed. It is high on the on the Theatres Trust’s Theatres at risk list, in recognitio­n of it being “a rare surviving example from an early stage in the crossover period when buildings were being constructe­d for both live performanc­e and cinema”.

It later became a cinema, a theatre again and finally a bingo hall.

It closed as a bingo hall and was sold to businessma­n Christophe­r Anthony for £375,000 in 2007. He then notified the council that he planned to knock it down but permission for this was refused.

Mr Anthony was ordered to repair the building by Derby City Council. But, during the course of the work, beginning on March 28, 2008, the roof and walls of the Green Lane building were damaged.

The building which is now owned by Planet Internatio­nal, has been deteriorat­ing slowly over the past 10 years and a serious fire in 2015 led many people to believe it did not have a future.

 ?? ?? The former Hippodrome Theatre is in a poor condition
The former Hippodrome Theatre is in a poor condition
 ?? ?? The Hippodrome when it was a bingo hall
The Hippodrome when it was a bingo hall

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