Arts centre for sale for £1m
A WORLD-renowned Yorkshire creative media, broadcast and performing arts centre, which has helped train a host of stage and screen stars, is on the market for £1m, TheBusinessDesk.com can reveal.
The ARTTS International training centre in Bubwith, East Yorkshire, would suit a variety of educational, artistic or institutional uses.
The centre also has planning permission to convert the existing buildings into 14 houses and two offices, together with the transformation of the original theatre into a rural enterprise centre.
Miles Lawrence, of York property consultancy Lawrence Hannah, said: “This is the most amazing opportunity, which only occurs once or twice in a lifetime. It is a unique facility, in a wonderful picturesque setting, which deserves to be revitalised for continued use as a commercial or residential complex.
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“The East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s decision to grant permission for the residential development of the former student accommodation blocks on site opens up a wealth of development opportunities providing a variety of unit sizes including Victorian courtyard houses of character and modern three-bedroomed family homes.
“There is huge scope for a variety of uses. It would be perfect for a school, a higher educational college, an arts centre, a theatre, a business school, a training or conference centre. The residential planning consent gives the whole development an extra dimension and unique selling point,” he added.
ARTTS International, which had a worldwide reputation, was a multi-discipline film, television, radio and stage training centre established by former BBC film producer John Sichel in 1990.
The centre ran for 15 years until Mr Sichel’s death in 2005, during which time more than 500 students trained there, including Bruce Byron, who plays Terry Perkins in The Bill; Jon Sen, the acclaimed British television and film director; and Adrian Pang, the leading Asian actor and television presenter.
Mr Sichel, along with co-founder and wife Elfie Sichel, converted a complex of Victorian brick farm buildings into a professional television, film, theatre and radio teaching facility, with the idea that learning should be by doing, rather than reading.
The purpose-built accommodation blocks built in 1990 provide 54 bedrooms and associated kitchen and lounge facilities overlooking landscaped courtyard areas with on site parking facilities.
ARTTS was an acronym for Advanced Residential Theatre & Television Skillcentre and its on-site training centre within the Victorian buildings provide a 200-seat theatre, three television studios, a radio studio and full location equipment for television and 16mm and 35mm film.
When John Sichel died, there were attempts to continue this legacy, spearheaded by Elfie, their daughters Katrina Sichel and writer and media personality Dr Tanya Byron and former graduate Derek Donohue and Geoffrey Bicker.
However, ARTTS closed down at the end of 2005.
The current owners are John Quinlan and Steve Hazell.
