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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| The Public arts centre in West Bromwich to close | The Public arts centre in West Bromwich to close |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The £72m Public arts centre in West Bromwich is to close. | The £72m Public arts centre in West Bromwich is to close. |
| Sandwell Council said it could not continue spending £30,000 a week to subsidise the attraction, which opened two years late in June 2008. | |
| The Public's managing director Linda Saunders said the decision was "heartbreaking" and she was disappointed for the staff. | The Public's managing director Linda Saunders said the decision was "heartbreaking" and she was disappointed for the staff. |
| She said 120 paid apprentices and 60 workers would "immediately" lose their jobs when it closes on 30 November. | She said 120 paid apprentices and 60 workers would "immediately" lose their jobs when it closes on 30 November. |
| Recent proposals have been put forward to transform the building into a sixth-form college. | |
| Council leader Darren Cooper said he knew the building "means a lot to many people" and it had "not been an easy decision to make". | Council leader Darren Cooper said he knew the building "means a lot to many people" and it had "not been an easy decision to make". |
| He added: "The fact of the matter is the council cannot continue to subsidise The Public. | He added: "The fact of the matter is the council cannot continue to subsidise The Public. |
| "The overall cost to the council is currently about £30,000 a week. That is nearly £1.6m a year. | "The overall cost to the council is currently about £30,000 a week. That is nearly £1.6m a year. |
| "That is taxpayers' money. In the face of cuts from central government, this cannot carry on." | "That is taxpayers' money. In the face of cuts from central government, this cannot carry on." |
| 'Giant shoe box' | |
| When designs for The Public were first put forward in 1994, the gallery was intended to revitalise the community. | |
| Some residents, however, saw the building as an extravagance and a waste of money. | |
| Criticism steadily grew as the project ran into difficulties, with debts rising and funding falling short. | |
| The venue had to be rescued on more than one occasion by government grants or Arts Council funding. | |
| Earlier this week Mr Cooper described the arts centre as a "giant shoe box" and said it should not have been built when it was by previous council leaders in his Labour group. | |
| He said he had always had doubts privately about the building. | |
| Since The Public opened, however, visitor numbers have steadily grown for theatre, music and comedy performances, as well as exhibitions. | |
| 'Really upset me' | |
| Sandwell Arts Trust, which currently runs the centre, said more than 380,000 people visited in 2012-13, more than half of whom were from the Sandwell area. | |
| Ms Saunders said the attraction had 52,000 visitors last month and said people came to The Public because it was "iconic". | |
| She added: "People worked very hard in very difficult circumstances and that's what's driven us - to make a difference to Sandwell." | |
| A petition calling for the centre to be saved has been signed by about 5,000 people. | |
| Great-grandmother Catherine King has attended a knitting group every Friday at The Public and said she feared it would be unable to continue. | |
| "It will be hard to find somewhere that can accommodate wheelchairs and scooters," she said. | |
| "We're devastated. It has really upset me." | |
| Ro Harris, from the LearnPlay Foundation, which provides an outreach service to schools, said: "We employ 150 staff at The Public. | Ro Harris, from the LearnPlay Foundation, which provides an outreach service to schools, said: "We employ 150 staff at The Public. |
| "We will meet on Monday to discuss what will happen to us. | "We will meet on Monday to discuss what will happen to us. |
| "At the moment we just do not know." | "At the moment we just do not know." |
| A total of 30 businesses are based in The Public. | A total of 30 businesses are based in The Public. |
| 'Nothing else like it' | |
| Dennis Patel's IT recruitment company moved into the building in April. | |
| He said: "The Public has had a rocky start but now it's right on the verge of achieving its potential. | |
| "There are more and more artists and comedians coming here - there is nothing else like it." | |
| However, mother-of-one and office worker Jenny Judge, from Mollin Street in Smethwick, said: "Thank God for that. | However, mother-of-one and office worker Jenny Judge, from Mollin Street in Smethwick, said: "Thank God for that. |
| "It was a complete waste of money. | "It was a complete waste of money. |
| "You would not get me in there if you paid me. To think what they could have spent that money on." | "You would not get me in there if you paid me. To think what they could have spent that money on." |
| Jean Groves, 77, from the Yew Tree estate on the border of West Bromwich and Walsall, said: "I think it's a shame. | Jean Groves, 77, from the Yew Tree estate on the border of West Bromwich and Walsall, said: "I think it's a shame. |
| "I have a lot of friends who use The Public. | "I have a lot of friends who use The Public. |
| "I like the cafe, I like the theatre. But I also understand Sandwell College needs more space." | "I like the cafe, I like the theatre. But I also understand Sandwell College needs more space." |