Funding blow for Arbroath culture hub plan on gap site beside Webster Theatre

A community hub plan for a gap site beside Arbroath’s historic Webster Theatre has hit a funding brick wall.

Angus Alive is behind the ambitious scheme for the vacant land at 60-62 High Street.

It was the site of former Sepa offices.

The property was bulldozed in 2021 after structural issues led to a dangerous buildings notice being issued.

Now, the council’s arms’ length leisure trust has come up with a scheme to put a cultural hub beside the Webster – the biggest theatre in Angus.

“It would aim to transform an area of Arbroath, surrounded by community deprivation with many empty retail units, into a vibrant and inclusive space,” said Angus Alive.

But the bid hit an early snag after an application for £80,000 from the council’s place-based investment fund was rejected.

Council officials said it was difficult to assess the project without any feasibility study or designs.

“The business case appears to be at an early stage of development,” they said.

“The aspiration is welcome, but the evidence of need is limited within the information provided.”

They rejected the application on the grounds it was a “poor fit” with the criteria.

Approved projects

More than half-a-million pounds of support from the Scottish Government Place-Based Investment Programme (PBIP) and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund was approved.
It will benefit four projects across Angus

Those are:

• A new-build extension for Kirrie Connections’ community dementia hub (£300k)
• Funding to develop a new facility at the Union Park Community Sports Hub in Montrose (£50k)
• Redevelopment of outdoor community garden and courtyard café at the Signal Space, Arbroath (£143,540)
• Essential repairs to Panmure Centre, Carnoustie to support future redevelopment (£27k)

However, a £443,000 plan to replace the roof of Arbroath Community Centre has been deferred.

The listed building sits just yards away from the Webster Theatre.

It is one of four buildings which Angus Alive has handed back to the council in a bid to cut costs.

Kirriemuir and Brechin museums and Inglis Hall, Edzell must now count on community involvement to keep their doors open.

But one councillor said the six-figure spend was “madness” for a building which has no definite long-term future.