Creative arts hub shut down due to high costs

The centre includes TV and audio studios and a theatre

A venue used by community groups in Hartlepool has closed down following increased costs to keep it running.

The Centre for Excellence in Creative Arts (CECA) had been leased by Hartlepool Council and cost in the region of £100,000 a year to run.

The creative hub included TV and audio studios, a 120-seat theatre and meeting and rehearsal room.

The Diocese of Durham, which owns the building, said it was keen to see it continue to be used as a community resource.

It also offered training for young people into the creative industries.

A report from council officers concluded the building would have to be vacated by them to reduce financial pressures, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The report said "the running costs of the building cannot be covered by the income generated from room hire, resulting in an annual financial pressure of at least £90k".

It added there was no budget allocated for staffing costs and there was no funding available to replace the boiler, which was "essential to enable the building to continue operating, and has an estimated cost of £140k".

A council spokesperson said: ‘‘A decision was taken by the council in December 2023 to vacate the Centre for Excellence in Creative Arts which is owned by the Diocese of Durham, at the end of January 2024.

"The running costs of the building cannot be covered by the income generated from room hire, resulting in an annual financial pressure of approximately £100,000 to the council."

The Diocese of Durham, which the council leased the building from, said it was "keen to see the centre continue to be used as a community resource" and was exploring options around this.