Vacant Newcastle building to become arts hub

Plans have been approved to transform a vacant Newcastle building into an arts hub with co-working offices, rehearsal spaces and a café bar.Boho Arts intends to revamp 66 – 76 Scotswood Road, which was been shuttered and closed for about eight years.The building originally served as a butcher to the old cattle market but its most recent use, since the 1960s – 70s, when the three buildings became connected, was as Jack Brodie’s Wholesale and Babywear,The hub would include offices, rehearsal spaces, theatre areas and places for creative workshops such as comedy and writing, alongside mindfulness and wellbeing classes.A design and access statement submitted alongside the application said the proposals will “enrich the culture of the area with arts and creativity that will be attractive to local people and businesses, and to visitors of Newcastle”.The licenced café bar will provide food, and the building will be amended to be accessible with a lift and widened areas for access.The site falls within the proposed “Newcastle City Council Culture and Creative Zone” which is a short walk to venues including Dance City, Alphabetti Theatre and Discovery Museum and Centre for Life.