Council leaders have pledged that multi-million-pound transformation plans for Barrow will have arts and culture at its core.
They are concerned that Westmorland & Furness Council has no concrete plans for a replacement for the venue, which had to be closed immediately and is earmarked for demolition due to safety concerns.
This afternoon, the authority issued a statement saying that the Heart of Barrow programme – a significant part of Team Barrow’s £200m investment in the town over the next 10 years – will recognise the importance of arts and culture as a catalyst for a revitalised and transformed town centre.
The reassurances follow speculation and concerns raised by some local arts and cultural organisations about the impact of the closure of the Forum, the council said.
Westmorland and Furness Council’s cabinet member for communities, customer services, culture and communications, Councillor Helen Chaffey, said: “I have heard people call for ‘no demolition of the Forum without a vision’.
“I want to reassure that the long-term Heart of Barrow vision will be developed with and alongside the community, including Forum user groups, local arts and culture organisations and other key stakeholders, to best reflect Barrow’s future needs.
“We have already determined that arts and culture will be at the core of the Heart of Barrow transformation and this approach is supported by feedback from our recent Community Conversation engagement.
“By creating places for arts, events, and community activity, we will ensure that Barrow is not only a thriving centre of employment but also a lively, creative and enriching place to live, work and visit.
“At this point in time we can’t make commitments about exactly what that long-term vision will include, as that will emerge out of the process when we have appointed a developer and have undertaken further engagement with the community, but I can reassure that as part of that process we will be working with Team Barrow partners and will be looking closely at all options, including a potential new arts and cultural venue.’’
A meeting of the council’s cabinet on March 17 will consider a report on the next steps in the Heart of Barrow programme, along with a report looking at options for the future of both the Forum and market hall buildings.
One option being considered will be the demolition of the Forum and market, to clear and open up the site.
If the demolition option is agreed, a package of ‘meanwhile’ investment in attractions, activities and events for all generations would be put in place to support the town centre, market traders and many of the arts and cultural groups that have previously used the Forum.
These ‘meanwhile’ plans would be subject to Cabinet approval and agreement of the Team Barrow Delivery Board, but the intention would be to have the new facilities and activities established over the coming months and for them to be in place for several years, to bridge the gap between now and the completion of the long-term Heart of Barrow transformation.
Proposals include a temporary venue and an enhanced programme of events and activities in the town centre, along with grant funding to improve existing facilities and performance spaces.
A programme of cultural activity would be introduced across the town centre, including creative workshops, small‑scale installations, outdoor performances and family‑friendly events that bring spaces back into regular use.
Other options being explored include a new market village, that as well as providing a new home for market traders could be expanded to create an exciting cultural/entertainment/food and drink facility similar to Salt and Tar at Bootle, STACK at Seaburn or Plazagarden at Gateshead, designed to be a temporary installation, but capable of hosting entertainment and events.
Furness councillor and chair of Furness Locality Board, Councillor Tony Callister, added: “Heart of Barrow is a once in a lifetime opportunity to deliver truly transformational changes for the town centre.
“It will not happen overnight and it will be some time before the long-term vision is fully defined and becomes a reality, but we welcome the careful thought and work that is going in to providing a strong ‘meanwhile’ offer and recognising the vital importance of supporting our community arts and cultural organisations.”
