Wolverhampton to shine in Black Country
Wolverhampton will come of age next year when it celebrates its 21st birthday as a city . It will also mark the beginning of a new era for the burgeoning Black Country metropolis on the back of a five-year plan by its council to make it an events city . Access investigates …
Words : Christopher Barrett
There are plenty of landmark events planned in Wolverhampton next year , including the start and finish of the Commonwealth Games road cycling time trials , the British Art Show 9 , the inaugural Creation Day Festival and the re-opening of the Civic and Wulfrun Halls .
Wolverhampton has a history of spawning talent , including pop music proponents such as Slade , Beverley Knight and Kevin Rowland , along with sports stars ranging from cyclist Hugh Porter to multi-medal-winning javelin star Tessa Sanderson .
With its focus very much set on the future , City of Wolverhampton Council has a five-year plan that not only involves the city hosting major national and international events , but being able to do so with an improved infrastructure of facilities such as venues and hotels .
Following a multi-million-pound refurbishment programme , the council-owned Wolverhampton Civic Halls will re-open next year with AEG Presents managing it , supported by ASM Global .
Wolverhampton Civic Halls , which comprises the Civic Hall ( cap . 3,000 ), Wulfran Hall ( 1,134 ) and Slade Rooms ( 500 ), was closed in 2015 . Initial plans , costing £ 14.4m , were due to be completed in March 2018 . The scheme ’ s budget has since escalated to more than £ 38m .
The city has received significant Government support . including £ 15.76m as part of the Future High Streets Fund , and it is set to receive a further £ 25m to support local economic regeneration .
Another boon for Wolverhampton has been the announcement that the Ministry of Housing , Communities and Local Government will move there by 2025 , taking with it 500 posts including senior civil servants . It will be the first ministerial office outside of Westminster .
City of Wolverhampton Council director of city environment Ross Cook is lead director for the council on events . He says its five-year events plan with will bring in around 2 million people to the city and have a local economic impact of around £ 70m during the period .
Venues As well as the Civic Halls , other key indoor venues in the city include the council-run Bilston Town Hall ( 1,000 ) and the 700-capacity Robin 2 . Meanwhile , the city ’ s much-loved Victorian public park , West Park , plays host to many of the city ’ s major events
and the council is looking to open other facilities .
Says Cook , “ Part of the funding from the Government ’ s Future High Streets Fund will be used to deliver a new Boxpark-type concept – a new outdoor event space in the city centre with a capacity of between 1,500 to 2,000 people . The more people can see what we ’ ve got to offer , in terms of that sort of event space , the more events operators will be attracted to the city .”
Festivals Another major step for Wolverhampton will be the hosting of the city ’ s first Creation Day Festival . Launched by City of Wolverhampton Council , Creation Management and Toura Toura Festivals , the festival ’ s line-up is being curated by Alan McGee ; the infamous boss of Creation Records who signed numerous acts , including Oasis , Primal Scream , Ride and My Bloody Valentine .
Creation Day is scheduled to take place in West Park from 28-29 May next year . It was originally planned
16