Today, the government has awarded £20 million from the Levelling Up Fund to support the regeneration of Derby’s Assembly Rooms into a modern facility which will bring huge economic, social and cultural benefits to the whole community.
The bid was prepared by Derby City Council and as a long-term supporter of the arts in Derby, I was delighted to sponsor it and to support it in conversations with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and directly with Minister Davison.
£20 million will support the transformation of the city centre through the redevelopment of the Assembly Rooms. In place of the current empty site, a new learning theatre, called ‘Assemble’ will be constructed, in partnership with the University of Derby.
Assemble has the potential to increase theatre attendance in Derby by 83,000 and attract an additional 25,000 visitors to Derby each year. It is expected to generate a net additional £1.7 million per year for the local economy.
I am delighted at the huge investment we have persuaded the government to make in the centre of Derby.
This project will replace the Assembly Rooms with a learning and cultural facility fit for the modern world. Not only that, but it will be a springboard for other developments in the historic Cathedral Quarter of Derby, which has suffered in recent years. Now, with the theatre which will be used both by students and by professionals, visitors will come to the Cathedral Quarter to take in a show, and also to visit and revitalise the shops, bars and restaurants nearby.
The government recognises the importance of the arts to local communities, and I am hopeful that this huge capital investment will be the catalyst for even more renovation and regeneration in Derby City Centre.
