Lincoln Drill Hall: Arts venue saved from permanent closure

Lincoln Drill Hall closed last year as a result of the pandemic and loss of funding

An arts venue hit by the pandemic and a loss of funding has been saved from permanent closure by a takeover.

Lincoln Drill Hall, which hosted concerts, shows and community events, closed last March during the first lockdown.

The city council also voted to stop its £187,000 annual grant.

It has now been taken over by Lincoln College Group (LCG) and will continue to host live performances, as well as conferences and exhibitions.

The hall, which was built in 1890 to accommodate military training, has played host to scores of famous names over the years, including punk bands Buzzcocks and Stiff Little Fingers.

Comedians Russell Howard and Marcus Brigstocke have also performed there.

Punk band Buzzcocks are among the headline acts to have performed at the Drill Hall

LCG's commercial managing director James Foster said: "We're hugely excited about becoming the guardians of a real cultural jewel for the arts and live entertainment.

"We are also really looking forward to investing in the building and what it has to offer," he said.

The Drill Hall, previously run by the Lincoln Arts Trust, is expected to reopen in December with a production of Aladdin.

Chair of the trust, Phil Hamlyn Williams, said it was "time to look forward to a new chapter".

However, he said: "Some very lovely things happened inside the Drill Hall, and those lovely things only happened because of the talented team of people who worked there.

"I want to thank them for all they did and to remember with great sadness that, with the coming of Covid, they had to lose their jobs."

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