Town centre can be much better (From Swindon Advertiser)

Town centre can be much better

10:10am Monday 15th June 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(19)

By James Wallin »

NEW details have emerged about an ambitious plan to create a cultural quarter in Swindon’s town centre.

Peter James, the chief executive of the New Swindon Company and the man responsible for improving central Swindon, granted the Adver an exclusive interview regarding a plan to redevelop land from the old Swindon College site to the Princes Street car park.

Mr James said he wanted to replace eyesores, including the Wyvern car park and the derelict former Mecca bingo hall with a new auditorium and public gardens as part of his vision for the cultural hub, which would be called The Promenade.

He also revealed his desire to entice the University of the West Of England into the development and to construct a new Civic Offices building in the area.

He said: “I am trying to create some sort of cultural complex in The Promenade.

“We want to create a real buzz around the place, and you would have all the people connected with the arts scene in Swindon gravitating towards it. It could be very exciting.”

Providing a home for culture in Swindon town centre is a long-standing aim of Mr James and Swindon Council.

Mr James said: “What I would like to see anchoring that development would be some form of auditorium. How big it is would really depend on the rest of the development.

“There is also some sense in moving the Civic Offices over there – they would be able to use the auditorium.”

No investors have currently signed up to the scheme and Mr James said: “It will be a long-term project and, of course, depends on funding, but I think there could be corporate support for this.

“Companies would support the right scheme that makes the most of what Swindon has to offer and also attracts visitors to the centre.”

One victim of any redevelopment would be the old Mecca bingo hall.

The building, which was opened in the 1920s, has become an eyesore since Mecca moved out of the site in April 2008.

Mr James said: “We have just found some more asbestos in there.

“We may well pull it down and have some sort of public garden.

“I was hoping to have some temporary use for the building, because it doesn’t look particularly attractive like that, but the asbestos made it impossible.”

Council leader Rod Bluh said: “The whole cultural complex would be extremely exciting if we had the necessary funding in place to go ahead with it.

“I think Swindon needs a bigger theatre and more flexibility in terms of the size of the auditorium.

“In terms of the Civic Offices being located there – that hasn’t been discussed and would be a matter for consideration. At the moment any talk about that is just pie in the sky.

“The idea of having the university in the town centre has always been the plan.

“How that may manifest itself and in what location still needs to be decided.”

'It has to be done properly'
THE vision of a new cultural complex has been cautiously backed by leading lights in the Swindon art world.

Their message to Swindon Council and the New Swindon Company is clear — if it is done it has to be done well.

Matt Holland, the organiser of the Swindon Festival of Literature, said: “I would welcome any more places for artists to use and for culture to be celebrated.

“There are times when I get a bit desperate for venues for the literature festival. On the other hand it is rather nice how we use venues from the largest theatre to the smallest pub.

“It is a big challenge — a great challenge but one that will have to be done properly.

“For a scheme like this to work it would have to be really beautiful and full of greenery and water, and something that gives people a feel of the place. A concrete hull won’t do that.”

Pollyann Tanner, the director of the Tanwood School of Performing Arts, said: “I think it would be great if Swindon could attract bigger shows.

“I know why they don’t come – the auditorium is not big enough, so it would be fantastic to have something better.

“There are a lot of artistic organisations that would support that.

“The cultural scene in Swindon is strong and certainly in principle I think the idea of some sort of cultural quarter is a good one, but ultimately I will believe it when I see it.”

Shoppers in the town centre had a mixed reaction to the plans.

Chris Thomas, a 56-year-old postman, said: “I think it’s a brilliant idea. It is exactly what this area needs because it is quite rundown. I hope a lot of local groups will be involved rather than bringing people in from outside.”

Gemma Cross, 26, from Cheney Manor Road, Rodbourne, said: “They’ll just change their minds again in a few years time and blame it on the economy.

“I think instead of wasting money on drawings and big ideas they should tidy up what they’ve got already. It’s all very well having dreams for what’s going to be there in 20 years’ time but we are living here now.”

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(19)