BACKERS of a £1.1m Lottery bid to upgrade a town community arts centre have expressed disappointment after the application was rejected.

Monmouthshire planners gave approval for a 130m sq extension incorporating a new multi-purpose studio at Chepstow Drill Hall just two weeks ago, alongside a bar, office and dedicated entrance foyer.

The plan also included proposals to modernise the look of the “utilitarian” Victorian building, upgrade the kitchen and toilets, improve the heating, and provide more storage space for furniture.

But it appears to be a case of too little too late, after the bid was marred by public rows over the future direction of the venue, with some claiming it was too “elitist,” and delays over its asset transfer from the county council to Chepstow Town Council.

Ned Heywood, chairman of the Drill Hall Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), said after last Thursday’s (February 15) Lottery announcement: “This felt like a once in a generation opportunity to secure the future of the Drill Hall for Chepstow and its communities.

“Naturally we are all hugely disappointed, particularly as we understand that the panel liked the bid and were complimentary about it.

“This is the moment to thank all of the Drill Hall volunteers for their commitment. Not just those directly involved in creating this bid, but also those who ensure that the hall operates a full programme of activities week in, week out.”

The funding would have allowed the Drill Hall “to expand its programme of activities and broaden its already considerable appeal, securing the future of the hall for generations to come”.

Submitted by the Drill Hall CIO, the bid was prepared largely by volunteers with input from building professionals.

It included a “detailed business plan and comprehensive blueprints for the development of the building” and upgrade of its infrastructure, with “many hundreds of hours of voluntary work invested” in the application, said a group statement.

It progressed to the second stage of the funding process a year ago, and the final bid was submit-

ted last September for scrutiny by a panel of professional assessors employed by the Big Lottery Fund, and recommended for funding to the final selection panel.

The bid fell under the fund’s ‘Community Asset Transfer 2’ programme, which provides grant funding to allow the transfer of ownership of buildings like the Drill Hall to a charitable trust run on behalf of the community.

But it was one bid in “a very strong” field of nine, of which only five could be funded, and was not selected, added the CIO.

Plans to develop the hall would have seen the capacity increase from 250 to 310 people.

But the bid has been overshadowed by heated debate, with some public meetings hearing the venue’s trustees accused of ‘elitism’ in favouring the likes of ballet and opera.

In August, shortly after the Lottery bid was unveiled at a public meeting, popular town opera singer Karl Daymond, 52, collapsed and died at an extraordinary town council meeting, where he was due to speak about wanting more community involvement in running the Drill Hall.

Last month, the town council confirmed with the Big Lottery its intention of “an asset transfer from Monmouthshire County Council to the town council, then the town council to long lease to the charity incorporated organisation.”

Town councillors were warned that the bid was “at serious risk of failing” owing to the delay in processing the paperwork.

Chepstow council’s finance committee was due to discuss a “confidential report” into the proposed asset transfer, which is still waiting completion, just days before the Lottery announcement.