East Staffordshire Borough Council is pleased to provide an update on its regeneration activities for Burton High Street since the Cabinet and Council decisions three months ago.
For the Brewing Museum concept at Bass House, the Council will be working with an internationally renowned visitor attractions company, Sarner, on the initial phase of the project’s development. Sarner come to the Council with vast experience of creating interesting and immersive attractions both in the UK and around the world, such as Bodmin Jail, The Fram Experience, Farsons Brewery Experience, the Flying Scotman Virtual Reality Experience, and many, many more.
Over the next few months, Sarner will be working with the Council to transform the initial feasibility study for Bass House into a concept that the Council can seek resident’s views on and put forward for funding streams like the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Heritage 2033 programme, adding to the existing project funding.
To help develop the brewing and commercial proposals for Bass House, the Council has also identified and appointed a leading British brewery advisor, who has significant experience and knowledge of Burton upon Trent and the brewery industry across the Country. The role of this advisor will be to help the Council in shaping the brewing elements of the project, ensuring that the proposal is both fit for purpose and in a strong position to take to the wider brewery industry at the right time.
Cllr Rob Hawkins, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Development, said: “This is a really exciting moment for this project, we have an internationally recognised organisation working with us to develop the museum concept and a vastly experienced British brewery expert helping advise us on the proposal. I can’t wait to see how this starts to come together over the next few months and am already really looking forward to seeing what the public think of the concept.”
Separately, the Council has been successful in submitting an Expression of Interest for just under £2.5m of capital funding for the regeneration of the Market Hall to the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership. The application was allocated a ‘Very Strong Strategic Fit’ assessment by the LEP and its success secures the funding for the facility, subject to outline and detailed business cases.
The purpose of the bid was targeted at the reparation and regeneration of the Market Hall, bringing it up to a high quality of standard and improving its offer to residents and visitors alike. The next stage will be to complete an outline business case, which will be developed alongside the public consultation that will be commencing in the coming weeks.
Cllr Paul Walker, Cabinet Member for Tourism and Cultural Development, said: “I’m thrilled that our bid is progressing to the next stage and that this funding will be allocated to the Market Hall, subject to the business case process. A revitalised Market Hall was a key ambition for us going into the election and I’m pleased that we’ve been able to move quickly to identify capital funding to invest in the building and the offer.”
Details on the public consultation that will commence shortly will be confirmed separately.