Leamington to be focus of £14m boost to creative businesses
Jun 29 2009 by Anna Blackaby, Birmingham Post
A refurbished church building in the centre of the West Midlands’ video games capital is to be at the focal point of a £14 million programme to support creative and digital businesses in Warwickshire.
The Grade II-listed church building, a former United Reformed Church in Leamington Spa’s Old Town, will provide affordable office premises and creative workspaces with specialist business support services offered as part of the package.
Leamington is home to more than 20 per cent of the UK’s gaming industry, with giants like Codemasters, Blitz and Freestyle Games based in and around the town, and the project aims to capitalise on the growth of the digital industries in the area.
The move is part of the town’s Creative Uplift Programme (CUP), a partnership between various public sector bodies and private businesses.
The former church will also provide a new state-of-the-art performance centre for the nationally-renowned Loft Theatre Company.
Advantage West Midlands partnerships director Philip Roberts said: “There is a fantastic opportunity here to build a powerful engine of creative enterprise, by encouraging new business start-ups in this sector as well as supporting growing companies.
“Communities need thriving businesses at their hearts and Spencer Yard and the CUP programme will add invaluable enterprise space to the town while providing a welcome boost to the deprived Brunswick ward.
“This will contribute to Leamington’s creative heritage and add to the town’s appeal as a place to live and work, particularly for graduates.”
The CUP is a public-private sector partnership between Warwick District Council, Regional Development Agency Advantage West Midlands, Coventry Warwickshire and Solihull Partnership, City Spirit Developments and ATI Projects, private businesses and the Loft Theatre Company.
Loft chairman Michael Rayns said: “The new theatre will give the Loft Theatre Company a new home and a more flexible theatrical space.
“In addition, the facilities and design of the new building will mean we can host work by other theatre companies and other forms of performance art such as choral and chamber music, opera, dance and film.”
The redevelopment of the Loft theatre will be undertaken by developers City Spirit Developments.
John Corstorphine, director of City Spirit, said: “We are very enthusiastic about this exciting project and playing our part in the regeneration of this area. It is an innovative development both in terms of use and architecture with new ideas which will stimulate further activity in this area.”
