Exciting plans have been revealed to bring a vibrant new cultural venue to Blyth town centre by the end of next year.
Northumberland County Council has given the green light to the Culture Hub and Market Place project as part of the Energising Blyth plans which are set to revitalise the coastal town. Funded by the Council and the Government’s Future High Street Fund, Jam Jar Cinema - best known to residents of Whitley Bay - will be the main operator of the new flagship building.
The new venue will house a three-screen cinema, creative and developmental play offer, café, and spaces for a range of events including live music, comedy, drama, dance and celebrations. The Market Place will also be significantly improved around the new venue, adding more green space to enhance the site's biodiversity.
Features including new enhanced lighting and street furniture will create an improved space for events and performances. As part of the project, the public toilets will be refurbished and the remembrance garden next to St Mary's Church will be enhanced.
More news will be shared over the next few months, with determination of the planning application due in June 2023. The project could be set to start on the ground following the Blyth Carnival as early as this summer, and is expected to open in winter 2024.
During construction, disruption will be kept to a minimum behind hoardings that will be established around the centre of the Market Place, Northumberland County Council said. The area will continue to be accessible with all business remaining open and the weekly markets continuing to operate, while regular updates will continue to be provided to local businesses and market traders in the run up to construction getting underway.
Jam Jar Cinema founder Dan Ellis received a British Empire medal for services to cinema earlier this year, having founded the popular Whitley Bay venue back in 2013 in the hopes of bringing the magic of cinema to the coastal town without the multiplex prices. The Park Avenue cinema has since become one of the best-loved spots in town, and was even named the best small business in the whole of the UK back in 2020.
Dan said of the new Blyth project: "We have operated our award-winning cinema in Whitley Bay for over a decade and we're very pleased to be able to take the opportunity to bring our ethos to Blyth. We've seen the difference a full time independent cinema can make to a town and this will be the next step on our journey.
"Blyth is exactly the kind of place we want to be and know local people will love an affordable cinema at the heart of the community which is accessible to all. But more than that I'm looking forward to there being all sorts of exciting events too. It’s going to be great for residents but also a destination venue!
"There will be more news to come as we prepare for opening this exciting new venue for everyone to enjoy. I’m looking forward to engaging with the community and partners in Blyth as we prepare to open the new venue next year."
It was announced last month that Blyth is one of the town centres across Northumberland seeing cash invested into it to create cultural venues, jobs, leisure facilities and commercial spaces. The Energising Blyth project is a major £70 million regeneration programme forming 12 projects, including an Energy Central Learning Hub which will provide a range of state-of-the-art industrial training, education and STEM-related skills facilities.
Chair of the Blyth Town Deal Board and Owner of Fergusons Transport, Alan Ferguson OBE, said of the new cultural venue: "This is a real boost for Blyth helping us to deliver improvements that are much needed in the town centre. The announcement today is a huge step for the town helping us to deliver our ambitions to grow, renew and connect the town.
"Alongside the new Energy Central Campus and other major investment going into the town such as the new Northumberland Line this project will ensure the town has the facilities and attractions needed for the community to have confidence in the town centre with new experiences and opportunities on their doorstep."
The cinematic experience returned to Blyth in April, 18 years after the last cinema closed in the town. The Phoenix Theatre is now home to the first big screen since the Wallaw closed in 2004, having invested in 'state-of-the-art' cinema projection equipment to provide six films a week, so residents will be spoiled for choice when it comes to getting their movie fix in the future.
Councillor Wojciech Ploszaj, cabinet member for business at Northumberland County Council, said: "Today’s approval is a major milestone in our plans to boost Blyth town centre. Blyth has huge potential changing for the better with new jobs and investment in clean energy industry and an increasingly popular place to live and work.
"However, the town centre has been struggling like many towns up and down the country as retail has declined. We want to see a town centre everyone is proud of which serves the community, boosts trade for local businesses and attracts further investment.
"This major project will help to kick start the regeneration of the area so it's fantastic to both approve the project and announce the welcome news that Jam Jar Cinema will be coming on board to provide a new and exciting offer."
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