Century-old Derbyshire entertainment venue crowdfunding to solve accessibility problem

The Grand Pavilion, on South Parade, has been a key part of local nightlife ever since it opened in 1910 but there have always been obstacles which prevented people with mobility issues from joining in the fun.

There is currently no disabled lift to the main hall upstairs, little usable ground floor space and no disabled toilets anywhere in the building.

Changing that is likely to require major configuration and construction work beyond the skills of the dedicated volunteers who have carried out extensive refurbishments over the past few years.

Jen Jacobs, who is running the fundraising appeal, said: “We had a situation recently where someone wanted to come to an event but their partner was in a wheelchair and we just couldn’t accommodate them. It breaks our hearts that we can’t be open to everyone.”

Nick Whitehead, chair of the charitable company Grand Pavilion Ltd, added: “Looking at feedback from audiences and all the people who use the building, the most frequently requested thing is in improving access to the first floor. We see ourselves as a community hub but parts of the community can’t access it.

“Solving the accessibility problem first unlocks other potential developments too. If we have bands and shows coming in with heavy equipment, at the moment they face the prospect of carrying it up 46 stairs. It restricts what we can do as a venue and the kind of things we can put on.”

The current layout of the building means that the only option for adding a lift may be a new extension, likely to be beyond the venue’s modest operating budget.

Nick said: “We’ve looked at several options over the years and it’s difficult from an architectural point of view. We’ve been quoted six-figure sums, and we’re a small charity. The income we bring in just goes to cover overheads.”

The finances involved mean the Pavilion team would have to seek support from grant-giving organisations.

To be in a position to begin applying though, they first need to commission architects, surveyors and other expert opinions on how to solve the problem, and have turned to crowdfunding to cover the cost of that options appraisal and feasibility study.

Nick said: “When the Pavilion was first built it was funded by the community. Matlock Bath & Scarthin Nick council issued an appeal to residents in Cromford, Matlock, Matlock Bath and surrounding villages, and their contributions got it built.

“We see ourselves coming full circle, putting the building back into community ownership. We want people to feel it’s theirs, and hopefully keep it open for another 100 years.”

Although the study will focus on the accessibility issue, it could also help to paint a new vision of how the building is used and its visual impact on the village – with later phases of work perhaps funded by increase event revenues.

Jen said: “We want to reimagine the Pavilion in a much more holistic way, both for the community and the many visitors who come to Matlock Bath. For one thing, the exterior rendering of the building is in dreadful condition, but we are stuck with it for now because of the interior limitations.

“I was talking to a local architect who described the building as being like a giant brick – an impenetrable entity on the end of the village. Its face almost needs to pivot away from the road and connect more to the river and the gardens, maybe by repositioning the coffee shop on the ground floor.”

She added: “We’ve come a long way already but there are lots of possibilities we’d like to explore. Another big thing is energy efficiency. Trying to heat a building that size in this day and age is crazy. All the windows are single-pane, for instance.

“It’s all speculation at this stage, but we have thermal springs, a river and a roof big enough for solar panels, so there may be ways to tap into renewable energy.”

While the scale of the team’s ambitions cannot be matched by their present resources, they have recently received a significant helping hand from a hometown hero.

Comedian and actor Isy Suttie, star of Peep Show, Shameless and many other television and radio hits, has lent her voice to the ‘Give Us a Lift’ crowdfunding campaign.

She said: “The first time I performed at the Pav was as a munchkin soldier in The Wizard of Oz in 1986. I still remember the excitement of being backstage and how magical the building was - it’s such an important part of the community.

“The Pav can never be defeated! It’s such a fantastic building, bursting with history and dancefloor secrets. I’ve probably danced a total of 1,000 hours in that place and to me it’s the hub of the community.”

Isy has also put her money where her mouth is. After performing her latest stand-up show Jackpot at the Pavilion in November, she had a big surprise for her hosts.

Nick said: “Isy grew up in Matlock and used to come here when it was a nightclub. She’s been back three times to perform in the last few years, and the shows are always sold out.

“She’s completely bought into what we want to do. When she came last time, I think she could tell we were struggling with pressure from energy bills and other costs.

“We paid her all the usual fees but then her agent came back to say Isy would be donating half of her earnings from the show to us. It was a good few thousand pounds – very unexpected but so welcome. We are very grateful to her.”To donate to the appeal, go to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/tgp-give-us-a-lift#start.

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