Arts group faces eviction from house near cathedral

Chauffeurs Cottage is through a gateway on St Peter's Road, behind Peterborough Town Hall

An arts organisation has been told it can no longer use a property near a historic cathedral gateway rent-free.

Peterborough City Council said it wanted Metal Hub to leave Chauffeurs Cottage so the building could be used as a "care leavers' day facility".

Council leader Dennis Jones said regulator Ofsted had identified such a facility as something urgently needed in the city, but that the council would try to find "alternative premises" for Metal Culture to rent.

A spokesperson for Metal described the news as "sad" and said losing the hub put the cultural life of the city at risk.

Metal Culture said it provides space for artists and host dinners to bring artists and communities together, such as this one in Cathedral Square

Red 7 Productions, one of the organisations working with Metal Culture at Chauffers Cottage, said it wanted the council to review the decision.

Jay Gearing, director of Red Seven, said the organisation had been based there for 12 years and the building provided a "welcoming, stimulating, and comfortable space" for artists to "create, show and make work".

'Budget pressures'

Mr Jones said the council was in a "very difficult financial position".

He said "budget pressures" did not allow Metal Culture's rent-free arrangement to continue.

“A three-month notice to vacate Chauffeurs Cottage has been served to Metal Culture and we are now working with the group to try and find alternative premises that meet its needs," said Mr Jones, a Labour and Co-operative councillor.

"Although we greatly value the work of Metal Culture, we need the building to create a new dedicated care leavers' day facility – something which was identified by Ofsted as urgently needed in the city.

"Using this site means we can create the facility at a lower cost, which is essential given our very difficult financial position.

“The day facility needs to be in a city centre location, with good public transport links, so that it is easily accessible.

"Chauffeurs Cottage is ideally situated, it is private enough to allow confidentiality and has an outdoor space which can be used by the young people it serves.

“Since 2011, Chauffeurs Cottage has been leased to Metal Culture on a rent-free basis.

"Our current budget pressures do not allow this arrangement to continue and any future venue we provide for Metal will be on a paid rented basis.”

Metal Culture has been based at Chauffeurs Cottage for 12 years

Mr Gearing said the artists based at the building had been issued with a "surprise eviction notice" by the council.

"The house, which until 2011 had been largely unused, was renovated by Metal in partnership with Peterborough City Council and now provides a welcoming, stimulating, and comfortable space for artists to create, show and make work in partnership with the wider communities of Peterborough," a statement said.

A petition asking the council to review its decision was being launched, Mr Gearing said.

'Programme'

The organisation said Chauffeurs Cottage was once connected to the grounds of Peterborough Cathedral and there was a sizable courtyard space for outdoor events.

Mr Gearing added: "We curate an exciting programme of international and UK artists in residence, host dinners to bring artists and communities together, offer talent development support through training and mentoring, and run a wide range of events, exhibitions and participatory projects often off-site within the communities we serve, that connect artists to audiences and audiences to artists."

Cultural life 'at risk'

A spokesperson for Metal said the building was an important community hub and home to cultural organisations and freelancers running some of our city’s major and most-loved events including Eye Lantern parade, Millfield Festival, community plays River Lane and Dark Earth, and Harvest.

"Collectively, we’ve brought over £5.6m into the local economy, worked with nearly 25,000 young people and communities, and created festivals, events and exhibitions enjoyed by nearly 1.4 million people," they said.

"We understand the challenges the council faces and welcome support for children’s services. There is room for both thriving children’s services and culture in our city."

The spokesperson said the Metal and the organisations based in its building had worked with thousands of children and young people and its future programmes would address youth social isolation and support some of the city’s most vulnerable young people.

"Losing Peterborough’s creative hub, with no clear way forward, puts these programmes and the cultural life of our city at risk," they added.

"We want to collaborate with the council to find a positive solution to secure the arts and culture that make our city a great place to live and to attract economic investment to Peterborough. We must do this together."