Forum Topic

No 'Meanwhile Use' for the Watermans

Can't help but think that the council has made a big mistake in not doing this. Allowing a vibrant, motivated group to take over the old venue for a while would have allowed a local arts organisation to develop which would have been capable of making a success of the new venue. Now the only option will be the Hounslow Arts Trust and we will eventually be back to square one.

Kenneth Seally ● 174d6 Comments

I don't think a business plan exists at the moment. They are not even sure of how the broad outline of the design will change when they put the new staircase core in.Cllr Lambert's comment in his update this week was very telling - if all goes to plan, we'll be back where we were six or seven years ago except (he omits to mention) with no arts centre.

Kenneth Seally ● 171d

Yes.

Keith Iddon ● 172d

It bolds ill for the new arts centre if the council already has plans on spending £1.45 million of our money. How much more to follow. It would be helpful if the business plan for the centre was published and not kept secret.

Chris Dakers ● 172d

I am happy to see on the front page that LBH has plans to spend £1.45m on safety and fire precautions on the proposed site for the new arts centre and that they are in discussions with a new organisation regarding progressing the development.Fair play to them and well done if this comes off.

Keith Iddon ● 172d

I think that the cost of any insurance (public liability etc.) would be pretty costly.

Anne England ● 174d

I suspect the condition of the building has made a meanwhile use impossible. It’s good that there is some positive action at last about the police station site, but if it simply gets built and then run by the HAT it won’t survive. A new management with some proper motivation and ideas would be welcome.There should be better effort made to attract customers, with an improved and varied cultural offer (not just niche things with very limited appeal) and they need to actually advertise everything that’s happening. Too often in the past amateur productions weren’t even listed on the Waterman’s website.

Simon Hayes ● 174d