Arts centre doubts are growing

The town has the prospect of a regeneration of the two last major sites in the ownership of Arun District Council, at Hothampton (Health Centre) and the main jewel in the crown Regis Centre site. The north of this latter site is occupied by the Hotham Arts Centre.

The public had a chance to express preference for one of the development schemes, exhibited last May, and each of these proposals came complete with the prospect of an arts centre, a new building with at least 450 seats.

We now understand that what we were told '“ that there would be a brand-new arts centre '“ is now open to the most considerable doubt.

One reason for this doubt is Arun has told us of this new study, to see if the new arts centre is viable. Couple that with the fact the developer is putting forward 5m for the new centre '“ but that a new facility would cost at least double that '“ and with the statement from Arun that it will not be putting any of its money into either the building or running it, and you have the shorthand for '˜a new arts centre will not be built' as a 99 per cent certainty.

Why did Arun put up the need for such a centre and then let the preferred developer off the hook by letting them offer only half or less of what it would cost?

The proper course would have been to insist they had to prove they could build it and find the cost of it. What was the point of the first study '“ window dressing?

Let me disabuse anyone who thinks Arun Arts' acquisition of the Picturedrome lease means that building could be the new arts centre.

To do that would mean we would have to sacrifice the cinema, and the theatre facilities would be inferior to those of the current Hotham Arts Centre.

We have no intention of accepting less than we now have. Why should Bognor have to put up with that prospect in a supposed regeneration to improve the town?

Meanwhile, the Hotham Arts Centre continues to achieve record attendances, the new Art of Coffee shop has opened, the refurbished charity shop has topped 15,000 since we re-opened, all on mainly volunteer labour, and we are proving that Bognor needs, and has, a viable arts centre.

Let's wait for the moans from Arun that we are '˜blocking' the regeneration by not agreeing to just walk away and let them bulldoze our theatre arts centre without any guarantee of a replacement. We ask them, why expect us to co-operate when there is no dialogue?

Jan Cosgrove, Chairman, Arun Arts, Hotham Arts Centre, Bognor Regis