Keady’s state-of-the-art Tommy Makem Centre should be used by ABC Council to host “events, concerts or shows” on a quarterly basis, as an ‘off-shoot’ of Armagh’s own Market Place Theatre.
And other venues, such as local town halls, are “screaming community” and should be “brought back to life” and suitably staffed to do so.
Multiple councillors offered their tuppence worth when it was accepted that some properties – including Banbridge Old Town Hall – were not being used to their full potential.
And the upshot was that a report will now be compiled to explore what can be done, when and how.
The comments were prompted by a detailed presentation by Vincent McCann, venue and programmes director, based at the Market Place Theatre, to November’s economic development committee.
He highlighted the ongoing activities at venues including the Market Place and FE McWilliams Gallery at Banbridge, as well as the Armagh County Museum and Navan Centre, as well as other arts outreach programmes.
The presentation was well-received and, as councillors digested what was said it gave them food for thought and a hunger to see more opportunities across the borough.
Councillor Ian Wilson was one of a number who voiced a longing for the return of the good old days for Banbridge Old Town Hall, a focal point for the local community.
“Upstairs in it is a fantastic venue,” he said, but added: “To me it’s very much under-utilised.
“You could have local artists, whatever medium they use, displaying their works there. It always was a very well-used venue, especially on a Saturday. It brought people into the town. It was very much used for coffee mornings and things like that. I think it’s definitely a very much under-utilised space in the middle of Banbridge town centre.
“All these large venues are fantastic, but I think we’re missing a trick and I think we need to look at that space in particular, to open it up again on a Saturday for artists or community organisations to be using. It brings people into town. It shows people’s works off or whatever they’re doing, or a charity organisation, and brings footfall into the town to hopefully support local businesses as well.”
The reason why it had not been used to the extent Councillor Wilson wished was, an officer explained, simply down to staffing.
Head of tourism, arts and culture Brian Johnston said: “What’s happened over the last number of years is a number of staff have left that role and downstairs is Community Advice now so it is solely upstairs. The member of staff that we have on in that role is on a 17-hour a week contract so again is completely utilised and probably at times working over that.”
He continued: “There are a number of really important community groups and charity organisations that he services during the week. I think if there was a request to look at that I’m happy to take it away, but we will need to look at the resource around that too. At the minute the officer who is in post is completely utilised and is additionally doing a lot more activities and events up at the Bronte Centre as well. It will need a proper look at a resource for that.”
SDLP Councillor Thomas O’Hanlon seized upon what had been said and highlighted that other venues, including the Tommy Makem Centre in Keady and Portadown and Lurgan Town Halls could also be put to better use.
He was speaking after a very successful Tommy Makem Festival in Keady, both it and the venue named after the legendary folk singer and town’s most famous son.
Singing the praises of the festival, he felt both it – and venue – deserving of an encore!
“I get it,” said Councillor O’Hanlon. “It’s community led. But even if council could host something once a quarter in each of these venues to try and drive footfall… it may actually be linked back through the Market Place Theatre, nearly like an outreach programme.
“I understand they do some of the arts activities and things like that, but even hosting some events or concerts or shows. I’m not asking for a commitment today, but at least if it could go away and be looked at and even a pilot done during the next year to see if it’s feasible.”
Recalling how the Makem Centre had been filled to capacity on the Friday and Saturday night of the festival, the SDLP representative added: “I’d just love to see more of that, that the council actually complement the community, as it were, as opposed to the other way round. I’m happy for those other venues of a similar size to be included as well.”
Ulster Unionist Councillor Julie Flaherty agreed, adding: “It’s great to see Armagh and Banbridge doing so, so well and being so well showcased, particularly in the absence of such facilities and maybe their and/or promotion in Portadown, Craigavon and Lurgan.”
“There are some lovely places in Portadown, Craigavon and Lurgan that could be used,” she said, before also endorsing calls for a proper return to use for the Old Town Hall in Banbridge, a venue where “thousands and thousands of pounds had been raised for charity”, and which brought “hundreds and hundreds of people into Banbridge”.
Tourism head Brian Johnston confirmed there was a cross-departmental effort ongoing to “see how do we maximise the use of venues”.
DUP Alderman Ian Burns said: “I think there are a number of venues within the borough could be more used more often.”
But he too homed in on Banbridge Old Town Hall, “right smack bang in the middle of the town centre”.
“It brought footfall, more footfall, into the town centre and I think that’s what it’s all about,” he said. “Same with Keady, same with Portadown, same with Dromore. There are venues that we need to be using more and more. If we don’t have the staff for them it’s time we increased the number of staff or the hours that are there. It has to be done.”
Party colleague Paul Greenfield was singing from the same hymn sheet.
“All we have to do is open it and have a member of staff there and it brings in thousands of pounds for different charities in the community,” he said, highlighting how one charity, a fibromyalgia group, believed they could not use it any more when it was the only way they had of getting funds in the year.
It was he who proposed bringing a report back as a “matter of urgency” on how they could “even bring staff across from other places” to have it fully back in use.
“I think it’s important,” said Alderman Greenfield.
“We’re not talking about an initial thing of actually having to organise events in it. It’s only a matter of actually the community being able to use it for coffee mornings and fundraisers, because it raised thousands.”
Sinn Fein Councillor Kevin Savage seconded the proposal and asked that, as part of that report, councillors be furnished with details of events in these locations.
“I did contact Banbridge Town Hall and it’s quite difficult to get a booking during the day,” he explained. “It’ll be interesting to see the bookings that are already in the town halls across the borough.”
Alliance Councillor Joy Ferguson was in full agreement of making the most of these venues.
“The Old Town Hall actually screams community and has done for many years and to see it become part of the life in Banbridge would be brilliant,” she said.
But Councillor Ferguson continued: “Resourcing is really important, but there is a development role that is needed for this resourcing position, so that they develop those particular venues that members have asked about tonight. It’s not just someone there to facilitate events. If we want these venues to come back to life and contribute to the regeneration of our towns, there needs to be a resourcing role that has a development role within that.”
Alderman Paul Greenfield envisaged the Old Town Hall “opened every Saturday morning with things going on”.
He added: “I think there’s a two-pronged approach here, because I’m not content that we’re just going to wait until somebody will come in and develop this. I would really like some staff to be there to use it now for those who do want to use it and then further on, but I know we could be there most Saturday mornings, so I would rather that we are able to hit the ground running fairly quickly, for community groups to start using it and then we can develop more as part of this moves forward.”
Councillor Thomas O’Hanlon returned to his focus on the venues in Keady, Portadown and Lurgan, which he said had “an arts element in them already”.
He said recognised the work that others were looking at in terms of opening up the Old Town Hall in Banbridge.
But Councillor O’Hanlon clarified: “To me there’s two different elements. One, there’s the opening up for the basics, and then there’s the second, where we have facilities that we could use.
“It’s not about reinventing the wheel. To me they would be off-shoots of the Market Place Theatre, even by way of you book through the Market Place Theatre in terms of the box office.
“I just think there’s potential quick wins if we do it through those processes.”
Director of development and community and wellbeing Paul Tamati agreed that the matter could be looked at in a joined-up ‘cross-directorate’ way.
“We will certainly bring a report back to look at that and how we can utilise things a wee bit better,” he promised.
