Chesterfield gets cash to improve arts facilities

Chesterfield’s Pomegranate Theatre is to be extended as part of plans to “enhance the cultural offer” in the Derbyshire town centre.

The borough council has secured £19.98 million, funding which was confirmed in the Budget and spending review.

A total of £11.4 million will be allocated towards the cost of a £15.6 million project to remodel and refurbish Chesterfield’s Stephenson Memorial Hall, extending the Pomegranate. The rest of the money will be used to regenerate the town centre.

Council leader Councillor Tricia Gilby said, “we want Chesterfield to be a go-to place for visitors. The projects that will be enabled through the funding will go a long way to helping us achieve this ambition by enhancing our cultural offer.”

At the Stephenson Memorial Hall, the council will look to create a “unique” facility, using the latest technology to fuse all forms of performing and visual arts. The aim is to “ensure that all our residents can experience the arts and culture in much improved facilities, which we hope will also attract many new visitors to Chesterfield’s economy”.