WEST BROM’S “GUCCI” SHOEBOX TO COST EXTRA £3.5M

07-07-2008

West Brom’s Public Arts Centre will cost another £3.5million of taxpayers’ cash – but Sandwell Council leader Bill Thomas insists unless the money is found, the EU will demand a £13million refund. He says architect Will Alsop’s so-called “Shoebox” contains “a pair of Guccis inside”.

Sandwell’s cabinet will make the decision later this month on whether or not to approve the additional funding but according to Thomas it’s a no-brainer.

He says: “If we don’t, and the building is all boarded up, we could face a clawback of the £13million from the ERDF [European Regional Development Fund] so we’re caught between a rock and a hard place.”

So far The Public has cost an estimated £54 million, with costs split between the Arts Council, the EU, Advantage West Midlands and the Council.

The extra dosh is needed to ensure the theatre is kitted out to the best possible spec; and to pay unforeseen maintenance costs for the “floating floors” of Alsop’s unconventional design.

Thomas maintains that despite all the birthing pains, the unconventional pink landmark will be an asset to the town

"Okay, it's not to everyone's taste, but lots of towns and cities have a building like this," he said.

"Paris has the Pompidou Centre, we have The Public.

"Some people say it looks like a shoebox, but it's a shoebox with a pair of Guccis inside.

"It's already got bookings for a major NHS conference, it will have gigs at the weekend that will give young people in the area something to do, and the West Bromwich Building Society will be hosting training days there.

"If we were having to slash other areas to pay for it, the critics might have a point, but we're in the middle of the biggest school building programme in Sandwell's history, and there's £350million being spent on new homes.

"We sold land at the height of the market and we are profiting from that."

Thomas also hit out at the negative publicity surrounding The Public’s £6.95 admission price, saying, “That really irritates me. The only part of the building you’ll have to pay to enter is the Gallery, and that’s funded by the Arts Council anyway.

"The rest of the building is free to get into."

To watch The Public Director Dave Clarke on Stirrer TV click here

DISCUSS THIS ON THE STIRRER FORUM