PHOENIX DEVELOPMENT LEWES
CREATIVE INDUSTRY AND OTHER BUSINESSES:
The creative industry on the site is something which can divide public opinion. In the Lewes Community Land Trust Survey completed in 2010, it was shown people either strongly support what is happening, or object to what is seen as a messy run down area with a few creative types. However, over the last 7 years, the site has seen an exponential growth in the creative scene with facilities offering culture and community infrastructure to every part of society.
In 2012 when the core strategy went to vote at the council, a petition was set up to ask for the council to protect the arts and small businesses on the site and over 2,000 people signed in less than four days. Meetings with Lewes councillors followed and they expressed amazement at the diversity and quality of what is happening on the site. From Olympic and Para-Olympics installations to a business being a fundamental part of channel 4's Amazing Spaces, the site has attracted some of the top creative people in the country. This is an aspect of the site which many in the town are less aware and of which the town might take some pride, for instance A recent visitor from the Arts Council said that he “...didn't know of anything like this in the entire country”.
Currently there are:
10 Community enterprises (arts, educational, social and charitable) such as Starfish, Music Studios, the Skatehouse, Furniture Now, Community Chef, the Dance Academy etc.
16 Venues (theatre, galleries, performance and rehearsal space) at Zu Studios, the Phoenix Theatre, the Foundry Gallery etc.
92 Workshops/Studios such as the Foundry Work-shops, Pop-up studios, Café Des Artiste, Another Fine Mesh, William Hardie Design
Some 152 artists, makers, designers, musicians, restorers , performers and staff work in these enterprises.
Approx. 1,800 people use these facilities per week
97,000 sq ft used by these community enterprises, venues and workshops/studios6 light industrial businesses
The cultural audit commissioned by Santon states:
1) Use this opportunity to influence how proposed developments within the town can meet the demand for artistic/creative space in a co-ordinated way.
2) Establish a Creative Forum for the town to develop an ‘holistic’ (What is going on with lay out?)approach to identifying and seeking funding support for creative space; to develop a co-ordinated approach to market and audience development; and to ensure that availability of space in existing venues is co-ordinated.
3) Any proposals to develop new cultural spaces within the town should be subject to a detailed appraisal to ensure that they are financially viable, and sustainable; they fit within wider strategic aims; and they do not have negative displacement impacts on existing creative spaces and venues.
4) Attempts should be made to retain the creative essence that has developed in the North Street Quarter, where this is economically viable and any proposals for providing creative spaces should be developed in conjunction with the town’s creative community.
Santon are looking for solutions to this issue. Every development must have some social benefit and they have limited funds to tackle a large issue. Currently they are proposing a cinema, some low cost workspaces and possibly an arts venue. They have potentially allocated between 20,000 and 45,000 sq. ft. for this entire area (including the cinema and sports centre), which will be at the heart of the development (compared to the 97,000 sq ft they currently use) : a public square with shops and arts spaces linked to Tesco by a new bridge. It is questionable however, whether they and people in Lewes actually understand the nature of the creative and cultural industries currently located in the area. These enterprises need decent sized work space to create, build, rehearse and educate, not little workshops with a shop front (such as the Needlemakers). The current occupants are makers, not sellers. In addition interaction with other creative businesses and access to clients is essential to their survival.
Santon is also developing new industrial units in the Malling Brooks estate. They have been discussing with different venue owners their options and may still offer spaces on Mallings Brooks or on the new estate to the current buisnesses on the Phoenix estate, however a recent survey has brought to light that none of these businesses apart from Wenban Smith (who pay high commercial rent) and Gosnells Soap Factory (who owned their factory) have been given a firm offer of relocation within Lewes.
If new spaces are not offered small businesses and the creative and social industries and all the jobs associated with them, at the heart of Lewes will close down, or leave town due to the high commercial rents. The estate must provide adequate space if the vibrant infrastructure is to stay. To date, a large proportion of the creative businesses have not been approached at all by Santon to address their needs.