Dancers need same footing, council told
The tenant of the famous Aquarius Ballroom in Hednesford is urging that its replacement exactly matches the facilities offered to dancers.
The tenant of the famous Aquarius Ballroom in Hednesford is urging that its replacement exactly matches the facilities offered to dancers.
The ballroom in Victoria Street is to be demolished as part of the regeneration planned for the town by Cannock Chase District Council.
Some of the dancers who use the ballroom attended the last Hednesford Community Forum meeting to hear from the council's head of planning and regeneration Bob Phillips on progress on the £50 million scheme.
Many were upset to have it confirmed that the old building is to go and a replacement is to be built.
There was concern that no suitable facilities would be available for ballroom dancing during the period between the closure and the completion of the new ballroom.
The regeneration work is to start this summer.Mike Allsopp, of CM Leisure, Lichfield, who leases the ballroom, said he had been aware that the site would be redeveloped to make way for a major supermarket when he signed the lease last year.
Mr Allsopp said he had yet to be informed of the date for the demolition and the ballroom, which re-opened at the start if the year, would remain open until then.
He said that he hoped to be able to take on the lease of the new Aquarius.
"The reopening has been a success and we are booked solidly. It has become very popular again in a short space of time. A lot of people are going to be very upset when it eventually has to go.
"People in Hednesford and from further afield who come here are very keen to have the ballroom continue. It is important that the new facilities are big enough to meet the demand," added Mr Allsopp.
The Aquarius Ballroom has been a magnet for danc-ers for decades and originally closed in 2008 to the dismay of users.T
he council's development partner, St Modwen, is currently in the process of putting together a draft programme for the project which will start with the redevelopment of the Rugeley Road scheme.
They have said that redevelopment will start on the Victoria Street scheme as soon as possible after planning consent has been granted.
