The Council’s Cabinet was today (Wednesday, 21 July 2010) informed that the Friends of Shelley Manor will no longer be progressing their plans to operate the Grade II Listed Shelley Theatre in Boscombe. This means that the £500,000 grant support for their project agreed by the Council in October 2007 will no longer be needed. A request from the Chair of Friends of Shelley Manor for alternative financial support was rejected today, due to the original lease conditions not being met. They were seeking a contribution of £40,000 towards the cost of equipment for the theatre and £120,000 towards the Shelley Heritage Project. Councillor Ian Lancashire, Cabinet Member for Arts and Culture said: “We have worked long and hard with the Friends of Shelley Manor in order to try and get the theatre up and running and I am disappointed that they were unable to reach their desired outcome. Unfortunately, rising costs, the withdrawal of vital funding from South West Regional Development Agency, and ongoing delays in fitting out the theatre by the developer have meant that The Friends have decided that they will no longer be taking a lease from the property owners. “This means that that they no longer require the money that the Council has set aside to support their project. Whilst I am sympathetic to the request from The Friends for financial support for other projects, we have not been able to agree to this as there is no clear agreed business case to show how the money will be spent and the building managed. “The planning permission granted to the developer, Charles Higgins Primary Care Ltd., includes the refurbishment of the Grade II Listed Theatre and it will now be up to them to determine how best they can implement their consent.” | 
