Plans for Lime Street (Photo credit: Neptune Developments Ltd website)
Plans to convert much loved former cinema on Liverpool Lime Street into arts hub, Getintothis’ Sue Bennett reveals more.
A new music venue is likely to be included in the massive redevelopment on Lime Street.
The former ABC cinema is set to be redeveloped into a space to house a music venue, TV broadcast facilities, bars and restaurants with the suggestion a myriad of live events could be hosted there.
The grade-two listed building has ambitions to become a world-leading music and entertainment venue.
The new venue could potentially fill a gap in the market for mid-tiered venues which have been lacking according to some sources.
Neptune Developments LTD will propose that the historic cinema, originally closed in 1998, should become a building of ‘international standing’ and will have the capacity to hold up to 1500 live audience members in its famous auditorium.
Neptune managing director, Steve Parry says: “We couldn’t make progress with a planning application until we were certain work could go ahead on the Eastern terrace…But starting work gives confidence to investors that the ABC project is going to form part of a much wider regeneration programme”.
If the proposals drawn up by architects Austin-Smith:Lord are approved then the venue, also previously known as The Forum and Cannon, will come complete with TV Broadcast facilities, restaurants and bars and the space to host live music events.
Plans for an in-house TV studio have been reported as attracting early commercial interest during these formative stages of the project.
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Steve Parry went onto add: “We are in advanced discussions with operators and we believe it will be a fantastic venue of international standing and, given where it’s positioned, it will be saying welcome to Liverpool”.
The building boasts a prominent position at the junction of Lime Street and Elliot Street where there is currently a £3.5m road surface improvement scheme under works.
Here is a series of images from the team’s website illustrating the proposed developments
Artist impressions of how the interior revamped ABC Cinema on Lime Street Liverpool could look after proposed refubishment, including auditorium and television studio
Artist impressions of how the interior revamped ABC Cinema on Lime Street Liverpool could look after proposed refubishment, including auditorium and television studio
If the proposed renovation works are to go ahead the building will not only become a landmark as visitors enter Liverpool via Lime Street Station, but also a potential mini media-city and venue for touring bands.
Also as part of the areas redevelopment scheme, a hotel, shops, restaurants, and student accommodation between the Crown and Vine Pubs will soon be under construction which will create more than 300 jobs. The work getting underway next week will see the remaining frontages on Lime Street taken down as part of the clearance of the site and will also mean the closure of Bolton Street.
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