The University of Westminster held a drop-in session for local residents living in the area around Westminster’s alternative theatre venue the Soho Poly to showcase plans for its restoration.
More than twenty residents attended the session, as well as Councillors from Westminster City Council and representatives from the FitzWest Residents Association. Overall, the session was overwhelmingly positive and well received by all attendees.
Dr Matthew Morrison and Professor Guy Osborn, project leads for the restoration project, led the session, outlining Westminster’s vision for the restored Soho Poly as a vibrant community hub for cultural exchange, inclusivity and wellbeing within the Regent Street and wider London area. Tim Robinson, Associate who represents the restoration architects Rock Townsend, showcased the proposed modifications to the space so that the Soho Poly can become a fully operational venue and open to the wider public, ensuring health and safety compliance and disabled access.
Jordan Scammell and Jules Attanayake from the Development Team at the University of Westminster then discussed Westminster’s fundraising strategy with attendees with the aim to secure the necessary external funding required, and on the outreach project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, titled ‘Soho Poly: Inspiring Future Generations’.
Councillors from Westminster City Council and representatives of the FitzWest Residents Association who attended the session were all in agreement that the local area desperately needed a resurgence in the arts and cultural scene. They noted that the restored Soho Poly would provide a great opportunity to enhance and widen access to the arts for the local community.
Talking about the drop-in session, one attendee said: “Firstly, I want to say we need more people like you guys in our community, because it’s very exciting what you’re doing, and it’s going to be absolutely great. It will be a fantastic resource for people who might be shift workers or single parents living on their own who want to get out and meet people.”
Responding to an attendee who asked whether the University would be prepared to rent out the space in a Q&A session, Dr Matthew Morrison said: “This is exactly the type of event we’d like to run - and are really hoping that people come with creative social ideas in such a joyful collaborative way. We have run internal book launches before- and it was a wonderful coming together of creative people, so absolutely. Once we’re open and functioning, we will encourage people to come to us with ideas to benefit the community.”
Watch the recording of the presentation and Q&A session on YouTube.
To find out how you can get involved, please email [email protected].
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