What we are proposing to do
TAODS is proposing to
- refurbish and upgrade the 500 seat auditorium of the Hippodrome Theatre
- extend the existing building to create an new town centre arts facility and community hub
The new landmark building facility will include
- A new public entrance and foyer space
- A new box office
- A bar and café area
- New activity, rehearsal and exhibition spaces
- Facilities for local employers and companies to use exhibition and conference facilities
- A permanent local artists gallery
- Band rehearsal space
- A purpose built home for the future provision and expansion of the Youth Theatre
What this will mean for Todmorden
This vibrant new cultural hub will:
- Contribute to the regeneration of the Halifax Road gateway and the Town Centre
- Offer new space and opportunities for local artists and arts organisations
- A new community facility for local people
- Provide facilities for an expanding Youth Theatre offering opportunities for young people in the Upper Calder Valley
- Generate a diverse evening economy offer for local people
- Be DDA compliant
- Create new employment and training opportunities in the arts and creative industries
Who will benefit
Local people will benefit from
- Weekly participatory sessions in a wide variety of art-forms for local people of all ages and abilities
- Out of school evening and holiday programmes for young people
- Performance and event opportunities for local people
- Programming of professional performances and exhibitions involving local, regional, national and international artists and companies
- Special projects in partnership with the voluntary and statutory sector
- Workplace opportunities for local students and the long term unemployed
Employers and local business will benefit from
- Purpose built and affordable exhibition and conference facilities located within the town centre
- A new landmark building attracting local people and tourist into the town centre
- A marked increase in footfall within the Halifax Road area
The local economy will benefit from
- Jobs and employment during the construction of the new building and the restoration of the existing theatre building
- Increased facilities within the town centre encouraging local people and tourist to visit the town centre
- Increased visitor numbers within the town centre especially the Halifax Road area leading to increased viability for currently vacant retail premises.
The agenda for the future
This new landmark facility will contribute to the
- Health and wellbeing of local people
- Building of stronger and safer local communities
- Economic vibrancy and prosperity of Todmorden
- Lifelong learning opportunities for local people
The space redevelopment would create
TAODS employed renowned local architects, Studio Baad, to draw up initial plans to give an impression of the space that could be created to allow for further discussion with interested parties and the community and to assess the overall feasibility and sustainability of the development.
These plans show the space and facilities that could be included in the refurbishment and extension of the Hippodrome.
Public support for the redevelopment of the Hippodrome
The proposed redevelopment of the Hippodrome has received very positive public response as people recognise this project is a viable and sustainable redevelopment of an existing building that will secure the future of a much loved theatre whilst providing many of the facilities and opportunities that they want to see in the town.
Todmorden has several large public buildings, many of which are currently underused. The proposed development at the Hippodrome would create a staffed and well used community resource with a sustainable future and the ability to change to suit different periods of economic and social well being.
In contrast to some of the proposed new buildings within Todmorden town centre, the proposed development at the Hippodrome offers a chance to combine many of the facilities that these previous studies have identified to support local companies and newly developing business’s whilst providing Todmorden with a landmark building that is owned and used by the community. If the development at the Hippodrome is successful in gaining capital funding it is highly likely that this building would then be entirely self supporting and not rely on regular support from local and national bodies.
The preliminary plans for redevelopment have been very well received by the local community. TAODS has engaged with existing users of the theatre and more widely with the general public and has actively sought their views so that local people can believe that they have been part of this project from it’s conception. At an event held in October 2008 over 250 local people took the opportunity to visit the theatre to view and comment on the proposed development at the Hippodrome.
Running and financing the new building
The extended Hippodrome theatre will continue to be run as a not for profit charitable organisation based on TAODS existing constitution and managed by an executive committee. The aim is to attract 100% capital funding to allow the new building to run on a self financing basis from day 1 and not to rely on regular revenue funding from other organisations and authorities. TAODS has over 50 years experience of running the existing 500 seat Hippodrome on this basis including major fundraising and capital expense projects.
In addition to the existing programme of high quality amateur productions and productions by other local groups the redeveloped main auditorium and arts centre will be used to increase the number of events, productions and exhibitions involving local, regional, national and international artists and companies. A purpose built café that is open during the day and evening along with weekly sessions in a wide variety of art forms and the expanded youth theatre will all generate income to support the running costs of the new development.
By maintaining control of the programming of all the events and employing artists and professionals directly the redevelopment will create an immediate boost to employment but also ensure that events are run on a break even or profitable basis. There is no intention to rely on other local organisations hiring the new space to make it viable as a surplus of available rooms and spaces already exists within the town. The new development will be run as a managed venue.
Supporting employment and training
Employment and training opportunities are seen as vital to overall ambitions of the development. Initially jobs and training will be created during the construction of the extension and restoration of the existing building which will be a huge boost to a local economy that has seen many of the residential construction sites within the town either closed down or work suspended during the current economic downturn and the major new medical centre building completed.
When the new building is completed and fully opened it is envisaged that employment opportunities will exist for a general manager, general admin staff, cleaners and café assistants. Jobs will be created that ideally suit the requirement of high priority groups such as lone parents and opportunities will exist to support people wanting to return to work from periods on inactive benefits such as incapacity benefit. Vocational training will also be provided by providing placements with organisations that help the long term unemployed gain the skills they require to return to work. Added to this there will be opportunity for the arts centre to work with people to support the development of small and start up businesses within the creative and tourism sectors whilst developing a diverse range of events and weekly sessions to engage local people.
The expanded Hippodrome Youth Theatre will work with young people to develop training and employment opportunities with the performing and creative arts sectors. The youth theatre currently works with up to 100 children each week giving them support and guidance. Young people gain confidence and motivational skills that help them to become strong and confident young adults. 80% of leavers from the Youth Theatre at age 18 go on to higher education, often within the creative, media and performing art fields. Many also return to Todmorden once their qualifications have been gained and become members again increasing the diversity of skills in the town and continuing to make the Hippodrome a long term viable organisation.
Increased footfall along the route from the town centre to the redeveloped Hippodrome will also increase the viability of retail properties in the immediate area. There are currently 7 vacant properties fronting Halifax Road in the immediate area. The redeveloped Hippodrome would lead to a more diverse daytime and evening economy and by increasing footfall during the evening could contribute to a safer environment and a reduction in crime and vandalism in the area.
The next step towards securing a sustainable future for creativity in Todmorden
Planning the next stage of the redevelopment
To enable to project to proceed to the next step a business plan and project implementation plan need to be developed. The cost of this is in the region of £20,000. This would include:-
- Detailed work and costing on the proposed redevelopment including an application for planning and building regulation approval
- A detailed business plan
- Identifying funding streams for the capital cost of the redevelopment
- Continued and detailed public consultation
- Consultation with other groups and organisations with interests in the town
- Investigation and analysis of similar projects within the UK
Contact details
Todmorden Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society
Steve Clarkson
Project and Development Worker
C/o Hippodrome Theatre
Halifax Road
Todmorden
OL14 5BB