Exciting news! The trustees of Bourne Town Hall Trust have been granted planning permission and listed building consent for their proposals to repair and restore the Old Town Hall and transform it into the most vibrant community arts hub in the area.
“After a huge amount of work over 7 years”, commented Trust Chair Charles Houseago, “and support by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we drew up detailed plans with the aim of regenerating the building, restoring its Georgian features and modernising its accessibility. “Obtaining planning permission was one of the major milestones in the process we needed to complete, and this has allowed us to submit the full National Lottery Heritage Fund proposal for the delivery phase of the project.
“I would like to thank my fellow trustees, our band of volunteers, the architects, consultants from Heritage Lincolnshire and all those who have helped us reach this stage in our journey.”
Following the successful Heritage Lottery Funded Development Phase , the Trust have recently submitted their Round 2 application for the delivery phase. If this £2.8m bid is successful, the Town Hall will be transformed upstairs into an 80 seat event space, with retractable seating and full access thanks to a newly installed lift. Films, theatre productions, talks, concerts and much more will be just part of the potential offering.
Also included in the National Lottery Heritage Fund bid is an extensive activity plan to celebrate the heritage of the building and its role in the town over the last two centuries, to include research projects into the original donors and the history made in the courtroom. The aim is to produce a lasting accessible historical record for the town.
Meanwhile, downstairs, the Shambles bar area will have a more intimate feel to it, serving refreshments during events but opened up to reveal original arches and doors, and capable of hosting smaller events such as talks and recitals.
In a final flourish, the Old Town Hall will be graced externally with a re-built clock tower (replacing the one that burnt down in 1932), stonework will be repaired and cleaned, and the building will once again take pride of place as a hub of the community and the place to enjoy arts in the centre of Bourne.
“We all have our fingers crossed that the bid will be successful,” added Charles, “so watch this space for further news when we hear the result in a few months’ time.”
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