Brierley Hill Civic Hall deal struck to safeguard future of venue

Volunteers are poised to take over the running of Brierley Hill Civic Hall securing its future and saving the council £100,000-a-year.

It will see keys to the the 695-seat venue handed over to Dudley Council for Voluntary Service (CVS).

The charity has been managing the venue for the last 18 months on a trial.

Now Dudley Council says it has shown that it can make a success of it.

Before the charity took control of the hall – a thriving venue in the 1960s, 70s and 80s – it had become under-used and was often shut during the day.

But CVS has built new relationships with existing users, schools, colleges, voluntary organisations, promoters, artists, businesses and entertainers.

And events such as Live at the Civic comedy nights have been popular bringing hundreds of people back through the doors of the Bank Street venue to see stars such as Ross Noble and Seann Walsh perform.

Ross Noble is among the acts to have performed recently at Brierley Hill Civic Hall

Now Dudley Council chiefs have recommended the hall and its land is transferred to the CVS in a ‘community asset transfer’ today.

This will see the CVS manage the hall day-to-day and means the authority will no longer have to fork out the £100,000 a year costs to run the venue.

James Challis, from the CVS and civic hall general manager, said: “From a CVS point of view it was very important we did our utmost to keep the venue open. We had heard rumblings that there was potential for the site to close and that would have been such a shame for the local area.”

Councillor Ian Kettle, cabinet member for regeneration said the move was a win-win for both parties.

He said: “The transfer will ensure this valued community asset remains an important venue used by the Brierley Hill and wider community. Brierley Hill Civic Hall currently costs the council in excess of £100,000 a year to run.

“As a charitable organisation, Dudley CVS is eligible for funding streams to which the council does not have access and is able to run the hall with lower overheads.”

A host of shows have been held at the venue since its day-to-day management was taken over

A council report says: “The community asset transfer will be by way of lease on terms and conditions to be agreed, but will be at market rent with grant-aid.”

Dudley CVS supports, promotes and develops voluntary groups. It follows voluntary group Black Country Hippodrome being given control of Dudey Hippodrome for five years in a bid to bring it back to life.