PR 3446
Work will soon start to transform the Baths Hall in Scunthorpe into a £15m iconic entertainment venue. North Lincolnshire Council leader, Cllr Mark Kirk, has made a firm commitment to retain parts of the original building – namely the 1930s frontage, the entrance and offices.
This marks a major step forward in ambitious plans to give North Lincolnshire the most modern venue on either side of Humber.
Tenders will go out next week to start work on site. Once the contract is awarded, work to prepare the site could start as soon as the beginning of June 2008. It will take around three months to complete.
The original frontage including the former entrance and office part will remain, but everything else will be rebuilt. This includes the former main hall and small pool area, bar, plant rooms and floor slabs to the laundry and former youth centre.
The former pool bases will be left in place, and where possible, material will be reused on site. Work will also involve removing asbestos.
The work to prepare the site will cost around £300,000 (subject to return of tenders from suitable contractors).
Cllr Mark Kirk, Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said:
"This latest move signifies our commitment to providing a £15m fantastic entertainment complex that will transform the current Baths Hall into a site people can be really proud of and will want to use. This is a major step forward.
"It is important that we do not lose the building’s character. And that is why we made a commitment to keep the original frontage and other aspects of the building.
"Once we have completed the remedial work, we can start work to remove ground contamination and work up some designs for the new venue.
"We have already shown that Scunthorpe can attract high calibre artists and performers with the recent sell out of tickets for the forthcoming Lee Evans show at the Plowright Theatre. This is a good sign and demonstrates that we can deliver top quality entertainment to the people of North Lincolnshire and beyond."
For further information please contact: Sarah Williamson on 01724 296353 or email sarah.williamson@northlincs.gov.uk.