Last chance to have your say on Berwick cinema temporary relocation plans

Northumberland County Council and the Maltings (Berwick) Trust are working together to deliver a new venue for Berwick on the current Maltings Eastern Lane site.

While works are carried out on the new venue between 2023 and 2025, the organisations and English Heritage are proposing that two existing buildings at Berwick Barracks will be refurbished and remodelled to allow the trust to continue delivering its programme and accommodate their audiences temporarily.

Drop-in events about the plans took place earlier this month and this week, the county council has issued reminders on social media that people have until Friday (July 22) to get involved in the online consultation at https://nland.cc/maltings

The proposed development includes the redevelopment of the ‘Mobilisation Store’ to provide a 114-seat, sound-proofed, temporary cinema facility.

When it is no longer required as a cinema, the intention would be for the building to become a permanent ‘strongroom archive storage facility’ for the county council.

The Maltings already use the Gymnasium Space as a Gallery. The proposal seeks the renovation of the ‘Gymnasium’, and attached store buildings, to create a venue that can host a wider range of cultural events – as well as provide enhanced exhibition and education space.

It is anticipated that the Gymnasium will remain as a small-scale year round cultural venue beyond 2025. While focusing principally on high-quality visual arts exhibitions during the day, the refurbished space’s versatility will allow additional talks, workshops and other site-specific events to take place on an ad-hoc basis through the year.