Former Dorchester brewery theatre plans scrapped

The new arts centre would have been located at Brewery Square

Plans to turn part of a former brewery in Dorchester into an arts centre have been scrapped.

The Maltings in the town's regenerated Brewery Square was to have included a flexible main auditorium with 450 seats.

The Maltings Arts charitable trust blamed "budgetary pressures" for not progressing the scheme after eight years of planning.

Chair Louise Sheaves said the decision had been made with a "heavy heart".

The plans included a 100-capacity studio, a cafe-bar and an annexe

In a statement the trust said despite "intense efforts", the £12.5m of funding necessary could not be found.

Ms Sheaves said: 'We and many other organisations and individuals have put a huge amount of effort into the planning, promotion and fundraising efforts for The Maltings.

"Sadly circumstances have conspired against us and the funding just cannot be found."

Mark Tattersall of Dorchester Arts, which runs the town's existing arts centre at the Corn Exchange, said he was "bitterly disappointed".