Agenda item

Presentation and Briefing Note of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

(Note: Councillor O’Boyle, Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration and Councillor Welsh, Deputy Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration have been invited to attend the meeting for this matter)

The Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) received a briefing note and presentation from the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) that provided the Board with details of current activity and progress in relation to the development of St Mary’s Guildhall into a premier heritage, function, events and conferencing venue in the centre of Coventry, and the recommended next steps.

In May 2018 the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) were informed that work to consider the potential for St. Mary’s Guildhall to be a high quality heritage, events and conferencing venue was underway (minute 49/17 referred). 

A long term sustainable solution was required for St Mary’s Guildhall that continued to offer residents and visitors to Coventry the opportunity to visit the Guildhall whilst achieving a commercial outcome that allowed the Guildhall to recover its overheads. There was a desire for the Guildhall to provide a sustainable income stream to the Council. Investment in the Café (the Undercroft at St Mary’s) was intended to prevent further decline in the income with ongoing growth, however it was acknowledged that long term sustainability required better levels of income from conferencing, corporate events, hospitality events and weddings in the Great Hall.

The Guildhall did not currently offer a particularly engaging visitor experience, and did not adequately cater for modern conferencing and event market. To this end, in collaboration with advisors from Coombe Abbey Hotel, specialist heritage architects and consultants had been engaged to review the Guildhall and provide advice and recommendations on works that would be necessary to deliver an exceptional visitor experience, whether it was for casual visitors wanting to engage with the heritage of the Guildhall, events attendees or hosting a conference.

The presentation, a copy of which was attached as an Appendix to the report, set out the progress of the scheme and the outcomes of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stage 2 concept design and business case review. The Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration had been kept informed of the project and its progress. Further political engagement would be undertaken as the RIBA Stage 2 was completed, to fully inform Council on the project outcomes to date, and to understand Council’s support, or otherwise, to progress with the project to RIBA Stage 3.

The next steps were to:

·  Discuss and confirm Council support and approval to proceed with the project to RIBA Stage 3, and the development of the detailed business case.

·  Agree a broader communication and engagement strategy to allow the design to be further developed to consider all heritage and other considerations.

·  Generate a project programme that considered feedback from consultation and engagement, prior confirming a proposed scheme for planning and listed building consent.

·  Conclude RIBA Stage 3 design and costing, before reconfirming the business case for the scheme.

The Board questioned officers and discussed the following issues:

·  The retention of the Minstrels Gallery in the proposals.

·  Lift implementation and new toilet facilities welcome together with rooftop terrace, the business concept of the buildings and opening up the Medieval Kitchen.

·  Spiral Staircase – investigate opening up the currently blocked off staircase.

·  Scheme costs £5.5m to £7.5m, dependant on the extent of the schemes proposals.

·  The cost drawn up include the maintenance of the existing building, display of tapestry, Medieval Kitchen, new kitchen building and fit out, and a significant contingency.

·  Consultation work essential.

·  Working towards early 2021 for completion/delivery of the project.

·  £1.5m already earmarked for Guildhall work.

·  Income expectations - £1m - £1.3m anticipated

·  If using a third party operator for the facility, priority access to be maintained for the Council’s own Civic Events.

·  Programming of scheme phases to enable delivery of project without compromise.

·  Car parking provision for the venue and conferencing facilities.

·  Aiming for 2021 completion.

·  Despite difficult site to access, that would not enable the building to be open whilst work on-going, scheduling of work important to maximise income at all times.

·  Next Steps - need to tighten Business case and income expectations, engage in relevant governance, review costs for progression to RIBA Stage 3.

The Board agreed that there should be the inclusion of commercial consideration of the use of this historic venue with the media for TV and films as part of any package of offers, without detriment to the Guildhall Business Plan. They also agreed that consideration should be given to the phasing of the project to ensure delivery of each stage as funding becomes available/is secured. They requested that they be provided with details of the anticipated income benefits for the project, in a graph format.

RESOLVED that the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3):

1)  Continues to support the activity in relation to establishing the business case for the development of St Mary’s Guildhall into a premier heritage, function, events and conferencing venue in the centre of Coventry, including all necessary governance regarding Council considering the proposals and whether to proceed with the scheme.

2)  Requests the inclusion of commercial consideration of the use of this historic venue with the media for TV and films as part of any package of offers, without detriment to the Guildhall Business Plan.

3)  Requests that consideration to be given to the phasing of the project to ensure delivery of each stage as funding becomes available/is secured.