Lotto ‘no’ to £2.5m Music Hall bid

The £10.6 million project to transform Shrewsbury’s Music Hall into a heritage visitor centre has been dealt a massive blow after a major lottery funding bid was rejected for the second time.The project missed out on £2.5 million funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, meaning plans to convert the Music Hall into a museum to house Shropshire’s valuable artifacts by 2011 could be in jeopardy.

But Councillor Charles Armstrong, portfolio holder for leisure, said he was still convinced the project would go ahead as planned and would be built by 2011.

Last year, the Music Hall also lost out on a £4.5 million Heritage Lottery Fund grant.

The project board at Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council will be meeting next week to discuss the options.

Leisure chiefs today said they were disappointed with the announcement but said the scheme could be delivered within the present budget, but at a much reduced level, and new avenues would still be explored to find funds.

Geraint Morgan, council manager Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council, said: “The proposal to create a complete visitor experience including a modern museum and visitor information centre at the Music Hall is a visionary one and considered worthwhile by officers and councillors of both Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council and Shropshire County Council.”