Saved: Newcastle City Hall to avoid closure as council pledges £600,000 for arts sector pot
Newcastle City Hall will sidestep a £100m cutback by Newcastle City Council after leader Nick Forbes pledged £600,000 towards Tyneside’s under-threat arts sector.
The council’s preliminary budget in November proposed a 100% reduction to arts funding, including the closure of the City Hall.
However after a series of campaigns condemning the cuts – including a 11,000 strong petition backed by comedian Ross Noble – council chiefs have confirmed the venue will remain open.
Forbes told the Evening Chronicle: “I’m delighted to confirm that the City Hall will remain open.
“We are looking at a range of options including some physical changes to bring in more income, and working more closely with the Theatre Royal over management arrangements.
“But the thousands of supporters of the City Hall have awoken and shown their support. I hope that, working with them, we can give the City Hall a bright future.”
The announcement comes as Newcastle’s arts sector was given a £600,000 a year fund – representing a 60% cut on last year’s budget – as well as a £9m pot for future development.
However Forbes has said the £600,000 sum could be larger as the independent panel set up to manage the funds will accept donations from prominent local figures who have previously lampooned the council’s plan to close the venue.
The council leader also confirmed the neighbouring Theatre Royal will support the City Hall in developing future revenue opportunities, while the council itself will contribute cash for repair and maintenance work.
City Hall manager Peter Brennan said: “The venue is one which has a hugely significant place in Tyneside’s history, and has done for more than 80 years.
“I have been working behind the scenes for the past few months to try to persuade the council that there are viable options to keep the City Hall going, and I’m glad to see that today we are working towards that.”
Newcastle City Hall was opened in 1927.
While the venue is primarily used for music, Jimmy Carr, Micky Flanagan and Sean Lock are all scheduled to appear there in the coming months.
