A Staffordshire town's new theatre project has received a welcome boost from HS2.
The Crown Wharf Theatre, in Stone, has been awarded £75,000 from HS2's Community and Environment Fund which has been created to help communities that are demonstrably disrupted by the construction of HS2 phase one and phase 2a from London to the West Midlands.
The cash will go towards the building of a new auditorium and community space at the former Joule's Brewery site and will specifically be used to enhance accessibility, buy a lighting grid, timber flooring, sound equipment and fund acoustic treatments.
The award is the largest made by HS2's Community and Environment Fund covering phase 2a of the new high-speed rail network.
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Cathy Elliot, independent chair of HS2 Funds, said: "The Crown Wharf Theatre's successful application has enabled it to progress construction to a point where it can start being used and create an income stream to continue its development.
"The theatre will be a highly-valued asset for Stone and the surrounding area, and I am pleased that HS2's Community and Environment Fund has been able to help get the scheme off the ground.
"I encourage other community projects to find out more about the HS2 Funds and the tangible benefits they offer to communities between the West Midlands and Crewe."
Crown Wharf Theatre Trustee, Leo Capernaros, said: "HS2's funding will deliver a key phase of the auditorium's development, helping us to turn the shell of a building into the new Crown Wharf Theatre.
"We still have more money to raise and a lot more work to do to completely finish the auditorium, but having an operational space that the community can begin to use and enjoy will be a huge boost, and ensure local people begin to feel the benefit of this new facility in the town."
The HS2 Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) have been in operation on phase one of the route between the West Midlands and London since MPs gave it the go-ahead in 2017. To date more than 186 projects have successfully applied for over £10 million.
Following Parliament's approval of the next phase of HS2 in February 2021, the funds were extended to the new 36-miles of route between Crewe and the West Midlands and a further £5 million was made available.
The funds are independently administered by community charity Groundwork UK.
