BOLD plans to transform Otley Civic Centre into an entertainment venue could represent the historic building’s “best chance” of a future.

That is the initial verdict of Otley Town Council’s Civic Centre steering group to proposals put forward by Otley businessman Jamie Hudson, who runs Futurist Sound and Light.

Mr Hudson wants to form a Community Interest Company that would: *Lease the property, which closed in 2010, from owners Leeds City Council *Raise £2.5 million to modernise and refurbish it *Re-launch the centre as Venue 21 – a 400 seat music and arts complex for large events that would also include a resident youth theatre, community-use rooms, a cafe/restaurant, and a cinema.

He has now discussed the Venue 21 bid with the steering group and is preparing a detailed business plan to submit to Leeds.

Town council leader and steering group chairman Councillor John Eveleigh (Lab, Ashfield) said: “Venue 21’s proposals probably represent the best chance of delivering a revitalised venue that would be supported by the community.

“We’re pleased they’ve built on the draft business case developed by the steering group.

“We think Venue 21 have set out an exciting vision for the building – a vision local people will, we believe, enthusiastically support.

“An exciting development like this, working alongside and collaborating with the hugely successful Courthouse, could really put Otley on the arts map.”

Mr Hudson added: “We’re delighted to have the support of the group that have worked so hard to keep the Civic Centre at the forefront of local planning.

“Their detailed work last year to look at the running costs of the building we found very credible, and have used this as a basis to develop our own plans.

“People are really enthused by this new vision for the property. The town council’s feasibility plan showed there were a range of imaginative uses for the venue, and we’ve taken that and developed it further.”

If it progresses, the project could see the Civic Centre re-opened as Venue 21 as early as late 2016.

The town council submitted its feasibility study, containing a similar business model, in January in an attempt to convince the city council to pay for the Grade II Listed building’s refurbishment.