Music and art lovers across Wiltshire will benefit from a vibrant new entertainment venue as Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveils £20 million to boost Swindon’s cultural offering today [19th March].
The money will finance the creation of a new venue in the town centre that will have capacity for 2,000 people and the facilities to host music, arts and other cultural events.
It follows the Chancellor’s Mais lecture this week in which she identified investment in towns, cities and areas previously overlooked as one of her top priorities to build a stronger and more secure economy.
This funding will make Swindon a more vibrant place to live, work and start a business, and it will attract more investment to the town. It will also be a significant boost to town centre retailers, restaurants, bars and hotels with the added footfall brought in by the new venue.
The Growth Mission Fund, from which this investment comes, is focused on supporting projects which contribute to local growth, create jobs, support the regeneration and maintenance of heritage and culture assets, or other important local policy objectives.
Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said, “My economic plan to build a stronger and more secure economy is the right one – cutting the cost of living, cutting the national debt, and creating the conditions for growth.
“Backing Swindon with this £20 million investment is part of this plan. The new entertainment venue that will be built with this funding will make the town a more attractive place to live, work and start a business in the years to come.”
Councillor Jim Robbins, Leader of Swindon Borough Council, said, “This funding from the government is massive for Swindon. This administration promised the delivery of a new theatre to kickstart growth in our Heart of Swindon vision and today we are delivering on that promise. The entertainment venue sends a really clear message to investors that Swindon is on the up and now is the time for them to invest.
“We’ll be working at real pace now to get the designs confirmed, construction started and the new venue open.
“I’m hugely grateful to Rachel Reeves and the Government for making this decisive investment in Swindon and to our great local MPs, Will Stone and Heidi Alexander, for promoting the bid and really explaining the benefits it will bring to the town.
“Swindon is ready to play a key role in the Government’s desire to boost the economy and growth, and a revitalised town centre is exactly what we need to help attract even more jobs to Swindon.
“The development will also allow us to build on the strong history of theatre in Swindon, started by GWR workers and developed by the great productions at the Wyvern Theatre, which will remain open until the new venue is up and running.”
Pictured (Top of page): The initial design of the new venue by Stufish Entertainment Architects
