THERE will be relief across Fermanagh and beyond this week after it was confirmed that the council is to invest £8 million in an extensive revamp of the iconic building. Last week, the council opened a tendering process for a pre-qualification exercise for the upgrade project.
This will be music to the ears of local fans of arts and culture, putting to rest fears that had been persisting since 2018 that the theatre may be demolished.
At that time, the council stated that the award-winning 30-year-old building was in dire need of repair. Among the issues listed were a leaking roof, old electrical wiring and disability access issues.
The council had put forward five options for the theatre’s future: The first option was to do nothing, the second was to refurbish the building, the third was refurbishment with an extension, and the fourth was a new building on the same site. The fifth suggestion by the council officer was to build a new theatre on a new site at a reported cost of around £2.1 million.
There was much local opposition to any potential plans to tumble the much-loved building, and the council vowed to keep working with local stakeholders to establish the best way forward, later indicating it was leaning towards retaining and refurbishing the theatre.
Now, the council has launched a tendering process for that refurbishment.
To read more on this story see this week’s Fermanagh Herald. Can’t get to the shop to collect your copy? No problem! You can download a copy straight to your device by following this link https://bit.ly/3gOl8G0
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere