Back to top of page...
A conservation group and charitable trust Friends of St Mary in the Castle (FOSMIC) led on saving St Mary in the Castle and worked with Hastings Borough Council to restore the building in the early 1990s.
The Council contributed £1.8 million of capital and FOSMIC achieved a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £1.6 million for restoration and an Arts Council capital grant of £1.4 million to equip the building as a performing arts centre.
FOSMIC leased the building from the Council at a peppercorn rent based on FOSMIC carrying out repairs and maintenance of the building. FOSMIC managed it as a performing arts centre from 1996, primarily as a 'receiving' venue ie booking touring artists, productions and local users.
Council grant support between 1999 and 2001 totalled £82,500.
Back to top of page...
By 2002 it was apparent that FOSMIC was facing financial difficulties. The Council worked with The Arts Council to assist FOSMIC. The arts council commissioned business consultant David Elford to prepare a confidential report. A resulting rescue package led by the Council produced a combined grant of £143,000 in 2002/03 for FOSMIC funded by The Arts council (£102,000) and the Council (£41,000).
Back to top of page...
Despite following a number of consultants' recommendations, the FOSMIC Board were faced, by mid 2003, with the possibility of trading insolvently. The FOSMIC Board surrendered the building lease back to the Council.
The Council took over operation of the building in October 2003 from FOSMIC including purchasing the assets at a cost of £69,703 as reported to Cabinet on the September 1 2003 and October 27 2003.
The Council agreed to honour existing bookings for the building but not commission or take new bookings while future options were explored.
The Council appointed an independent facilitator, Ian Ross, to help explore options for the future of the building. An overview of Ian's report was also commissioned from Mark Courtice, acting as a critical friend. (Mark was the interim Director of St Mary in the Castle in 2002).
Back to top of page...
On the July 12 2004 the Council's Cabinet agreed:
"RESOLVED (by 8 votes to 0) - that:
(1) the Facilitator's report on St Mary in the Castle be noted;
(2) work be commissioned to develop an analysis of future demand; full business plans for the primary and secondary models supported by detailed discussions with key agencies and stakeholders to secure a sustainable future for St Mary in the Castle;
(3) Ian Ross be retained on a day-rate basis to assist facilitate progress; and
(4) interim arrangements for the building including use of the café and crypt area for exhibition space be approved. The auditorium to be available for bookings with the aim that the variable costs eg: cleaning, staffing, heating and lighting, together with an element of the fixed costs be covered by a booking fee. Officers be instructed to bring to a future Cabinet meeting the detailed financial implications of this decision for the Council's revenue budget."
On the August 9 2004 the Council's Cabinet agreed:
"RESOLVED - that (1) a supplementary estimate of £48,900 for 2004/05 be approved; and
(2) the staffing requirements as set out in paragraph 3.0 of the report be implemented with immediate effect."
The additional funding of £49,000 and interim staffing arrangements using existing Council staff kept St Mary in the Castle functioning as a 'hall for hire' until March 31 2005.
Rhythmix, a music development agency, relocated to Hastings and now rent an office space in the building alongside the Coastal Currents Festival Manager.
The South Coast Artist Group (SOCO) opened the Gallery in the café area in October 2004, supported by the Council which spent £9,000 in modifying the space.
SOCO operate the Gallery, using volunteers, from Thursday to Sunday each week (10am - 5pm) reporting an average of 80 people a day visiting the exhibitions.
Brian Harris and Chris Moore were appointed to undertake the detailed work on Ian Ross' models and other sub options including developing business plans and identifying future users and funders. The final Brian Harris report set out costed options on a range of potential uses of the building both short term and longer term. Ian's role continued as liaison between Brian Harris, Chris Moore, user groups and Council officers.
Read the Facilitators Report in full.
The completed Brian Harris Options report and the Council Officers covering report were submitted to the Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee for Leisure, Culture, Communications and Staffing, in December 2004 (O&S Committee LCCS (14.12.04) St Mary in the Castle Review - Min. 11) and to Cabinet (Cabinet (05.01.05) St Mary in the Castle Review - Min. 78) in January 2005.
The Cabinet received a presentation by Brian Harris on SMIC options.
The officer report set out a review of progress identifying that 103 public events had taken place at St Mary in the Castle ranging from live music, conferences, discos, weddings, arts and dance workshops. Unfortunately the resulting income of £9,590 had not met the Council's income target of £27,360.
The second part of the report evaluated the range of options short and medium term set out in the Brian Harris report, and proposed that the building cease as a hall for hire from 6th January 2005 but existing bookings honoured to the 31st March 2005.
The officers report identified estimated annual costs on options as follows (excluding £34,000 p.a. for maintenance).
Mothballed - £26,000
Hall for Hire £106 - 126,000
Arts & Community Centre Model £200,000
Historic & Architectural Attraction with Gallery £50-60,000 (+up to £10,000 one-off cost for exhibition display).
Historic and Architectural Attraction with Arts Hub £80 - 90,000
The minutes from the Cabinet meeting are set out below:
The Executive Director Leisure and Cultural Development submitted a report on the consultants work in analysing potential models of operation for St Mary in the Castle, carried out by Brian Harris Arts. The report, produced by Brian Harris and Chris Moore, was submitted as an appendix. Brian Harris made a presentation in support of the report. Agreement was sought on the short and medium-term future arrangements for the building.
The matter had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for Leisure, Culture, Communications and Staffing at its meeting on 14 December 2004. The draft minute recording the Committee's decision was appended to the report.
Councillor Pam Brown, the local ward councillor, addressed Cabinet.
Councillor Kramer moved the recommendations in the report and also moved the following amendment, seconded by Councillor Daniel:
"That the following be added to the end of recommendation 4, "Officers be instructed to make arrangements to allow for the continued use of the auditorium by regular hirers for about 20 occasions per year commencing 1st April 2005 and to provide information on the additional financial implications to inform the Council's budget-setting process."
The amendment was approved by 9 votes to 0 with 1 abstention.
Councillor Stevens moved an amendment, seconded by Councillor Smith, and lost by 2 votes to 8 as follows:
"That the appropriate officers are instructed to pursue a policy enabling St Mary in the Castle to become a thriving arts and community centre and be preserved as an historic, architectural attraction. Resultant moderate net costs to be considered as an annual budgetary item (2005/6 estimate £147,000 plus £34,000 maintenance costs)."
RESOLVED (by 8 votes to 1 with 1 abstention) - that:
(1) the report by Brian Harris Arts is noted;
(2) Ian Ross and those involved in developing future models are thanked for their contributions;
(3) no further work is undertaken to develop option one (St Mary in the Castle as a Local Arts and Community Centre);
(4) the building will cease to operate as a hall for hire effective from the 6th January 2005 but existing confirmed bookings will be honoured up to the 31st March 2005. Officers be instructed to make arrangements to allow for the continued use of the auditorium by regular hirers for about 20 occasions per year commencing 1st April 2005 and to provide information on the additional financial implications to inform the Council's budget-setting process;
(5) the Council continues to work closely with its partners and Sea Space towards achieving a cohesive and integrated plan for the Pelham area, which includes St Mary in the Castle, the Crescent, Arcade and the proposed Pelham Square development. Further work on developing option two (St Mary in the Castle as a Conference Centre with Arts and Community Uses) or variations of this option will be subject to progress on the wider plan for the Pelham Area;
(6) No further work is undertaken on options A,B, C, G, & H as set out in the Brian Harris report;
(7) Option D (Historic and Architectural Attraction) is supported in principle. Further work is required to clarify the detailed costs involved. Any resulting additional costs to be considered as a growth item as part of the Council's budget setting process;
(8) Option D to be enhanced by the continuation of the existing gallery for a further 12 months (subject to agreeing terms with South Coast Arts Group) and the introduction of a new 'self service' arts information point;
(9) Option E and Option I to remain as potential options under review;
(10) The Council continues its commitment to maintain the building's structure (currently supported by an annual maintenance budget of £34,000); and
(11) The provision of performance and making spaces for arts and cultural activities is considered as part of the annual review of progress on the Cultural Strategy in early summer 2005."
At the Council's Budget Cabinet meeting (Cabinet (24.01.05) Budget 2005/2006 - Min. 91) a new growth item of funding was agreed for St Mary in the Castle of £40,000 for 2005/06 to meet the costs of the twenty or so hires for the year. Applications were invited from existing hirers and subsequently 24 events were approved for the year.
Work has commenced on introducing a series of historic tours of the building.
Back to top of page...
This page last updated: 13/07/2005