Philharmonic refurb hinges on £2m council grant
LIVERPOOL City Council is planning to commit £2m to the refurbishment of the city’s Philharmonic Hall.
The cash will enable the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra to pull in a further £7.7m from the Arts Council. About £1.8m will come from private contributions.
This will fund extensive work at the 1939 Grade II-listed building including improvements to the auditorium and front of house areas, the backstage area and concert platform.
It will also help it to cut its energy bills with a more efficient use of power.
The council, which owns the building, said it could carry out the work itself but it would then “become liable for all the contracts and associated risks such as overspends and any unidentified works.”
As part of the deal it will extend the orchestra’s lease by 50 years to 150 years and take £20,000 a year in ground rent. The council’s cabinet will consider the proposal on September 7.
London architect Caruso St John was appointed to the job earlier in the summer following a competition that attracted bids from Allies and Morrison, John McAslan & Partners Ltd, Bennetts Associates and Witherford Watson Mann Architects.
Drivers Jonas Deloitte has been hired as project manager and Simon Fenton Partnership as quantity surveyor. Hill Dickinson is handling the legal affairs.
