Councillors agree on remodelled arts venue for Burgess Hill

It comes after a public consultation revealed that 68 per cent of people were in favour of the venue – which is to replace Martlets Hall.

However the majority were not in favour of an increase in council tax to pay for it.

Due to this, the Cultural Quarter Steering Group asked the architect for an ‘alternative cheaper option’.

The council now proposes paying for it with a £3million loan from the Public Works Loan Board – rather then a £5million loan which was originally proposed.

And the additional £2million will be raised through public fundraising and sponsorship.

The remodelled community and performance venue proposed will seat 270 people as opposed to 350 in the original design.

And it will be built on the footprint of the Royal British Legion Building in Cyprus Road.

A project manager is also to be appointed.

Councillor Pru Moore, leader of Burgess Hill Town Council, said at a council meeting last night: “I don’t think it will be long until we get this.

“It is all very positive. What I really don’t want is to disappoint our residents again.

“Once we have secured the loan then we are up and running. We have got everything lined up, we have been very busy over the last two months.

“But at the same time I don’t want to raise residents’ hopes, we still have this process to go through to get this loan.”

She added: “We are doing absolutely everything we can and hopefully we will have a relatively smooth path from now on.”

Pick up this week’s Middy, out on Thursday (July 19), to read a full report of the meeting.

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