Plymouth city centre’s new amphitheatre is beginning to take shape as part of the £30m Armada Way revamp. The construction giant, Morgan Sindall Group, initiated the first phase of this ambitious regeneration project last autumn. Not all Plymouth Live readers are on board with the new development.
Since then, earth-moving equipment and crews have been working tirelessly on site, outside the Copthorne Hotel, to create the performance space. Seating installation has now commenced.
The aim of this project is to infuse “culture and the arts” into the city centre. This performance space will be the second one created by the current city centre improvements, in addition to the event space at the Piazza.
Another significant performance area has been established at Old Town Square, where Old Town Street intersects with New George Street. This area has already hosted an 8m high blue Christmas tree and various musical performances, following a £17m upgrade of the streets near the Drake Circus Shopping Centre.
The Plymouth City Centre Company has described the Armada Way performance space as part of its vision for a more bustling city centre, stating: “This will give us yet another performance space in the city centre for everything from busking to full-scale theatrical and musical productions.”
The original scheme, which was estimated at £12.7m, was scrapped by the new Labour administration last year and replaced with a new plan. In September, the council approved spending of £29,892,665 on the new project.
Billwizz jokes: “I’m not sure whether the city centre has ever been ready for culture and art. It does look like a very nice place to enjoy a few cans of cider, an unplanned sleep, or perhaps a good old swearing session with like-minded chums. Or, if time is short, maybe just write something random in permanent marker on the stone seating area.”
AJGreen is more positive: “It’s good to have open spaces and this one certainly looks open; low maintenance, too.”
Thaumag replies: “Bleak and sterile are the words you are looking for? Plymouth is no 10 on the UK highest rainfall chart. Bring your brollies. The first scene of Shakespeare’s Tempest will go down a storm.”
AJGreen retorts: “Not at all. If you want vegetation, pop out to the countryside. This is the city centre. An urban area, for urban people.”
Ineedsunshine asks: “Who will be running the “acts” and timings of performances? The right person could make this project very popular. Is this going to be superb or a joke?”
AmoundernessLad sighs: “Another concrete windswept piazza.”
RickOshay agrees: “Excellent news, a concrete bare space to sit and ponder the world, so much better than the trees and grass that used to blight the area.”
Joe123 adds: “Yes, more sparse concrete areas and CCTV cameras etc. All helping towards building the dystopian future that we are slowly heading towards.”
Gdaddy63 believes: “It was more useful as a car park!”
MeriT thinks: “Nice to see some progress.”
Hoewalker asks: “Why is it that most people ( a very small percentage of the Plymouth people) are always so negative!? The sooner the whole project is complete the better. It’s been going on for far too long. I do hope that we’ll have some trees, flowers and grass somewhere in the project. I’m looking forward to seeing it all finished.”
Jeanearl replies: “They may have concerns about the £30 million pound cost and the amount of interest that local council tax payers will need to pay for the multi million pound borrowing. Legitimate concerns I would suggest.”
AJGreen adds: “In the current financial climate it is necessary to continue investing in the city to attract outside investment. The concern arises if the improvements don’t result in the investments.”
Joe123 scoffs: “‘it is necessary to continue investing in the city to attract outside investment’ – It’s basically paving slabs on the floor (a floored area). Who ‘invests’ in a floor?”
How do you feel about the new amphitheatre? Do projects like this make the city more attractive to visitors and improve things for locals? Have your say in our comments section.