One of Maryport’s most prominent regeneration projects is really taking shape and has had a significant boost from Sellafield Ltd.
The former Carlton Cinema on Senhouse Street is being transformed into a cultural hub with a focus on the arts, music and theatre. It is part of the £12 million regeneration of Maryport which is being carried out by Cumberland Council. Initial funding was provided by the Government and now Sellafield Ltd has increased this with a grant of £350,000.
This will allow major changes to the interior of the ground floor auditorium to increase its capacity - up to 280 people will be able to attend standing events like concerts, while seated shows will be able to accommodate up to 180 in the audience. The aim of increasing the capacity is to allow a wider range of events and community activities to be held in the building. New designs also needed to be created for ventilation and acoustic protection to minimise exterior noise, which also incurred significant additional costs.
Building work on the project is already well underway. The ground floor of the building has been lowered to create the main performance space. On the upper floors, original windows have been reinstated and rooflights fitted. The first floor will become workshop space for creatives, with rehearsal and sound recording rooms. The second floor will become additional commercial space, which could be offices or additional creative space, depending on the future tenants.
Next door, a derelict property which was a blight on the high street has been demolished and that will create a new entrance, box office and bar for the venue after the creation of a contemporary extension to the building.
Leader of Cumberland Council, Councillor Mark Fryer, said:
“We have had extensive discussions with the Maryport community about the interior of the Carlton. We then took the step of changing the designs to make sure this building could be used by the largest audience possible and had the flexibility in terms of shape and style to host a wide range of performances.
“That did incur some delays and additional cost, but we decided it was the right thing to do to secure the Carlton’s future for the first time in decades. We are grateful to the team at Sellafield Ltd for backing this project which will give a real boost to West Cumbria’s cultural offer.”
Eirini Etoimou, head of corporate sustainability and supply chain development, for Sellafield Ltd, said:
“We’re delighted to be supporting this transformational project for Maryport.
“Helping our communities to thrive is one of the priorities of Sellafield’s Social Impact Multiplied (SIX) programme.
“The redevelopment of the Carlton Cinema will breathe new life into an important community asset, help kickstart the regeneration of the town, and enhance the cultural life of Cumberland by providing an inclusive and multi-purpose space for performers and visitors of all ages.”