Plans to rank Chester alongside Europe’s leading cultural centres will be unveiled to council chiefs next week.
At the centre of a new cultural vision for the city will be an £30m iconic theatre and performing arts centre - probably on the site of the Little Roodee car park.
And if possible, the state-of the-art riverside development will also feature a convention centre large enough compete with its main rivals in Liverpool and Manchester.
Next Wednesday Members of the Cheshire West and Chester Executive will be asked to back a four-month feasibility study into the exciting blueprint to maintain Chester’s place in the Premier league of tourism destinations.
A report to members from Chris Cook, Head of Culture and Recreation emphasises: “For Chester to stand alongside European destinations like York, Avignon. Bruges and Sienna, there is a need to develop the cultural life of the city alongside its retail, hospitality and tourism offers.
“Chester requires significant and sustained development in its cultural programme and infrastructure top compete alongside the best in Europe. “
If members give the go-ahead for the feasibility study it will examine all aspects of the proposals including a full economic impact assessment, funding and the possibility of financial Partnerships.
Cll Richard Short, Executive Member, Culture and Recreation said: “Rightly or wrongly, there is a feeling that Chester has traded on its reputation for some time.
“The new council intends to remedy this situation for the good of present and future generations. The report before us could point the way to making up lost ground in this respect.“
Present plans envisage a theatre with a larger auditorium than the Gateway, complemented by highly flexible studio facilities for art, dance, cinema and musical events. If the theatre and performing arts centre was to be joined by a purpose built convention centre, conference capacity would exceed anything Chester has to offer at present.
Funding for such a project could come from The Council, the Arts Council, North West Development Agency, Chester Renaissance and private sector.
The favoured site is the Little Roodee but alternatives will be considered.
The report to councillors says: “The new building will be a lead regenerative project for the city.
"It will have a ‘24-hour‘ life – a meeting place for breakfast, coffee, lunch and dinner with a foyer and public spaces- destinations in their own right.“
Chris Brown, Chief Executive, Visit Cheshire and Chester: “If Chester is to maintain and grow its tourism offer then it is critical that it maximises the potential of its cultural offer and a key part of that is addressing the need for a new theatre/ Performing Arts Centre as that is a pre-requisite of any City seeking to compete with other European Destinations.
“There is no doubt that over the last few years we have slipped back from a previously held higher reputation and therefore it is imperative that we apply greater vision and aspiration in all areas of thinking and none more so than in the provision of our cultural offer.
“The commitment to undertake a detailed feasibility study that will address not only the issues associated with the Performing Arts Centre but also the shortage of conference space is to be welcomed and demonstrates the ambition of the new authority to take a strong leadership role in developing the cultural product which if realised will bring significant economic and social benefits to residents and visitors”
Chester Gateway Theatre closed in April 2007 following a period of declining viability and the loss of Arts Council funding but has continued to be used by ‘Tip Top Productions‘.
CWAC are considering interim arrangements in the event that plans for the new theatre are deemed feasible. These would apply until the new building was ready and the Gateway made way for the Northgate Development.
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