I am delighted that the future of Parr Hall is of such concern to the people of Warrington.
There is no doubt that the hall is an important and popular facility and one that we must do our best to preserve for the benefit of the town as a whole. At the same time we also need to consider the costs involved in a project of this size.
What the recent exchanges in these pages have clearly highlighted is the need now for a plan for Parr Hall that proposes how we address these issues. Warrington town centre is undergoing some substantial and exciting developments. A vibrant, contemporary cultural life is an integral part of that, with Parr Hall playing a central role. How can we ensure its future as a venue fit for the 21st century, and worthy of this town taking into account the views of all stakeholders?
Preparing such a plan is precisely what the borough council has been doing for the past few months.
The Parr Hall is an old building, opened in 1895, and it needs major renovation if it is to meet both the expectations of modern performers and audiences as well as today's health and safety standards.
To start the process, the borough council commissioned an architectural feasibility study to explore, firstly, whether it would be physically and structurally possible to make the necessary improvements, and secondly, what the general costs of this would be. The architects have confirmed that such renovation would indeed be possible and have prepared some initial ideas for how it might be carried out.
These ideas have already formed the basis of consultation with voluntary arts groups in the town, as part of the feasibility study process.
Most importantly, however, the borough council, the people of Warrington and users of Parr Hall need to have a clear understanding of the redevelopment and running costs of an updated and upgraded facility. There are undoubted benefits to be gained from having a comfortable and modern entertainment venue, which maintains the flexibility to cater for a wide variety of events, including the best professional entertainment. First though, there needs to be a broad consensus about the extent to which the town and the borough council in particular, is prepared to invest in and support such a facility, because without such support it cannot be viable.
There are many interested groups involved and we need to do our best to meet the aspirations of as many of them as possible. At the same time, we must be realistic in accepting that we may not be able to satisfy everyone's wishes.
With all of this in mind, we intend to widen our current programme of consultation, which will help us to decide, together, about Parr Hall's future. If anyone wishes to be involved in this programme, contact the Pyramid and Parr Hall team on 442345 or pyramid@warrington.gov.uk.
Clr Roy Smith Executive board member for community services Warrington Borough Council
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