Arts venue in line for funding
THE Milton Rooms in Malton is in line for a Valentine’s Day gift which would help ambitions to transform the venue into a major arts centre for Ryedale, North Yorkshire and beyond.
Members of Ryedale District Council will consider paying £15,500 toward the cost of an Options Appraisal and Business Plan at the meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee tomorrow evening.
Both documents are considered integral to the long-term renovation of the building so it can reach its full potential as an arts venue, say the Milton Rooms Management Committee.
In his report to the committee, Julian Rudd, the council’s head of economy and infrastructure, said the development of the Milton Rooms would “provide significant regeneration benefits for Malton and Norton in general and would have particular benefits for the tourism, catering, hospitality, and arts sectors of the economy, with associated additional employment and would promote Malton as a major cultural hub.”
He says that the “creative sector” in Ryedale is of “major importance” to the economy and features 11 professional arts organisations, more than 150 micro-enterprises, over 100 social enterprises, and attracts 400,000 visitors each year.
“Development of the Milton Rooms as an arts venue and as an arts hub for southern Ryedale will provide an opportunity for further development and growth of this important sector of the economy,” added Mr Rudd.
Failure to splash the cash on the options appraisal could lead to the Milton Rooms Management Committee walking away from the project, reads the report, as well as losing the backing of the Prince’s Regeneration Trust which has pledged its heavyweight support to opening up funding opportunities for the renovation of the building.
It could also have a detrimental effect on the reputation of the council.
The Options Appraisal and Business Plan are expected to cost a total of £22,000 with £6,500 from the Architectural Heritage Fund already set aside, a grant which must be taken up by April 1. They are needed to show potential investors that the proposed use of the Milton Rooms is “both appropriate and viable” and would give the Princes Regeneration Trust, whose patron is Prince Charles, more scope to open doors to such funding partners.
Mr Rudd said: “The Princes Regeneration Trust are a very effective and highly prominent advocate for the Milton Rooms and their aspirations for the future. Their involvement will greatly enhance the chances of successfully establishing the Milton Rooms as a long-term sustainable venture. One of the major strengths that the PRT has is the ability to successfully engage key heritage and funding agencies with a project which then greatly increases the ability to secure the necessary investment to achieve a sustainable solution.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Malton
Saturday 18 May 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 7 C to 12 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North east
