Construction contract signed for Worcester’s new arts centre
Worcester City Council has signed a contract with local firm Speller Metcalfe to carry out construction work to create a new arts and entertainment centre in the city centre.
The project will see the historic Scala building – first opened as a cinema in 1922 but more recently run as an amusement arcade – reconfigured and regenerated as a major new cultural facility for Worcester.
Malvern-based Speller Metcalfe, a regional construction company and family-owned business, will start work at the Angel Place site in early 2025. The contractor will create new spaces for live performance, film, workshops, courses and classes, and digital experiences within the Scala building.
Councillor Lynn Denham, Leader of the City Council, said: “Creating a new arts and entertainment centre in Worcester’s city centre is an ambitious undertaking for the City Council, so it is a major milestone for us to appoint a contractor.
“I am delighted that we have been able to bring in a locally-based contractor to carry out the construction work and I look forward to seeing the high quality refurbishment that I know Speller Metcalfe will deliver.”
The renovation of the Scala is being made possible by a share of the £17.9m grant that Worcester City Council secured from the previous Government’s Future High Street Fund.
James Speller, Managing Director of Speller Metcalfe, said: “We have worked closely with the Council to bring this scheme to fruition, and we’re delighted that we can now make it a reality for the local community. The arts centre will not only provide an exciting focal point for this part of Worcester but will create a number of local employment opportunities for businesses from both the city and neighbouring areas during the construction phase.”
The business plan for Scala has been created by the City Council working with a local Creative Consortium of some of Worcester’s leading arts, cultural and creative organisation: Dancefest, Severn Arts, C&T, The Kiln, Mobilise Arts, and Vestan. Their skills embrace a wide range of art forms and creative practices, alongside extensive knowledge of Worcester, and most of them are expected to be closely associated with Scala when it opens in 2026.
