Town Hall receives crucial grant from Culture Recovery Fund

Sutton Coldfield Town Hall has received a grant of £34,400 from the Government 's £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help the organisation recover and reopen.

More than £300 million has been awarded to thousands of cultural organisations across the country including the charitable trust-run Town Hall in the latest round of support from the Culture Recovery Fund.

The venue, which is currently being used as a vaccination centre for the NHS, will now be able to recommence planning of its 2021/22 shows and room hire.

The staging of 'Cinderella ' had been in jeopardy with not enough reserves to support the production of the show, which is key to the venue 's financial sustainability.

As a result of the grant, the Trust can return more staff to work, enabling the venue to market its autumn programme, which starts in September with the sell-out Gary Powndland comedy show.

More than £800 million in grants and loans has already been awarded to support almost 3,800 cinemas, performance venues, museums, heritage sites and other cultural organisations dealing with the immediate challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Town Hall 's managing director, Julie Rennison, said: “This funding is crucial to our recovery, as it takes months behind the scenes to plan and market our programme - particularly the pantomime.

“With this support, and with confidence in a return to full houses once vaccinations are complete, we have a much better chance of a successful relaunch in the autumn and a welcome return of our traditional Christmas shows. ”