Lowry to bid for Arts Council cash for ‘critical’ £10m upgrades
Salford Quays’ 25-year old theatre and cultural venue requires a package of interventions to “prevent closure”.
The Lowry has been invited to bid for £8.5m from Arts Council England’s Creative Foundations Fund. If successful, Salford City Council would provide the remaining £1.5m to deliver the project.
The funding is required to pay for “critical and urgent infrastructure needs”, according to a report to the city council’s cabinet.
The report states that the Lowry, which has seen 20m visitors pass through its doors since 2000, highlights that much of the building’s infrastructure is out of date.
Two escalators prone to breaking down would be replaced with lifts, improving the building’s accessibility, while the venue’s boilers would be replaced to reduce carbon emissions. The Lowry’s fire systems would also be upgraded.
The work would ensure the venue’s “continued operation, sustainability, and adaptability for all its communities and evolving audience and visitor needs”, the report adds.
Salford City Council was contacted for comment.
Has to be funded – brilliant theatre
By Anonymous
Wow, that’s an expensive set of lifts, boilers etc. Surely there’s more than that happening for 10 mill?
By Steve
Very necessary. Especially the lifts. Access to the theatres is poor, and seating often inadequate.
By Janet Phillips
When the Lowry was built 25 years, wasn’t an asset management strategy developed that envisaged boilers, escalators, and fire safety systems would need replacing? Wasn’t a sinking fund, generated by the 20 million visitors, set aside for repairs and upgrades? This seems like basic asset management.
By Anonymous
If they’ve received 20m visitors, and the also operate a theatre in amongst that, then what have they been doing with their income?
Escalators don’t appear out of nowhere, and boilers need replacing from time to time. Any homeowner knows that they have to budget for renewals.
Why should scarce arts funding be used to cover for what sounds like poor financial planning?
Liverpool lost access to its national opera thanks to “funding cuts” while it seems millions can be found for any flights of fancy in Manchester.
By John
‘Flights of fancy’ ! ..oh please!😂
By Anonymous
The Lowry should get this as it remains the only ‘cultural’ high spot in Gt Manchester given the sad decline of the Exchange, the Art Gallery, not to mention the £245m Community Centre on the banks of the Irwell. It has served GT Manchester well and deserves support which is more than be said for the others.
By Bewildered Mancunian
Manchester isn’t mentioned in the article, The Lowry is in Salford.
By SA
Lets use public money for a “regeneration” project that will continue to demand more public money. These things need to be self-sustainable – needs proper examination for future business cases
By Money sink
Struggling to understand why the Lowry doesn’t reflect its full lifecycle costs in its business model.
By Rich X
Instead of lifts maybe consider a free car park for theatre visitors and disabled Clients
More important than an escalator
By Anonymous
Hi anonymous, I’m quite happy to use my PIP to pay for parking – that’s literally what the mobility part of disability benefits is for, I don’t want everything for free as well. But a working lift so I can actually get into the right part of the venue is essential. Not really sure on the logic of your point here.
By Anonymous