Ludlow MP, Philip Dunne, has praised the work of the whole team behind the refurbishment of Ludlow Assembly Rooms, ahead of the building being handed back by Shropshire Council and its contractors, Paveway.
With formal completion of the building works due in coming days, the Trust will soon be able to work on fitting out the new Box Office, Visitor Information Centre, bar, and café/restaurant. This will hopefully be completed in time for the lifting of coronavirus restrictions for indoor venues currently expected from 17th May.
Shropshire Council as landlord has funded almost £2m into the scheme of the £3.5m scheme, with hundreds of thousands of pounds also raised by Ludlow Assembly Rooms volunteers. Grant funding has also come from the European Regional Development Fund, one of the last capital projects funded by the EU. The Arts Council England has been a supportive funder throughout, including providing a further £130,000 boost in December 2020 as part of the Government’s Cultural Recovery Fund.
Mr Dunne has taken a close interest throughout the development of this project, stepping in when funding or other issues arose, to help bring together the various organisations involved to secure their commitment, and ensure the project could be completed.
Mr Dunne said: “I am absolutely delighted that Ludlow Assembly Rooms has emerged from the scaffolding and can now be seen in its prominent place on the market square in its fine new livery. Having visited the site at various stages of the refurbishment, I can confirm that this has been a far more complex and involved refurbishment than originally envisaged, as several problems emerged which had not been identified from the original investigations. What emerges soon for all to see is a building which will host all kinds of events for decades to come, in an environmentally sustainable building.
I pay tribute to the brilliant work of everyone involved, from Ludlow Assembly Rooms trustees, resolutely chaired by Gareth Williams and lead by volunteer Chief Executive Helen Hughes, to the 200 or so regular volunteers, in their determination to get to this point.
Ludlow Assembly Rooms is the key cultural venue for South Shropshire and I congratulate Shropshire Council for investing such significant funding into this major refurbishment of such an iconic building in the heart of Ludlow.
I congratulate all who have been involved and look forward to Ludlow Assembly Rooms opening to the public later this Spring.”
