Glassworks revamp plan
An historic former glassworks is in line for a multi-million pound revamp which could make it one of the Black Country's biggest tourist attractions.
Development of The Glasshouse Arts Centre in Amblecote – to include a larger theatre – aims to bring in hundreds more visitors to Stourbridge each year.
It will include doubling the number of small businesses already based at the site in Wollaston Road, expanding the studio theatre to stage bigger professional shows and creating terraced areas overlooking the cana. There will also be bigger exhibition spaces plus shops and cafes.
There are also plans to expand the number of places for students at The Glasshouse College on the same spot.
It will place the centre up with sites such as the Black Country Living Museum as one of the main draws for visitors into Dudley borough. It is planned to fund the plans through a series of grants.
The centre has just received £250,000 from the Arts Council and is in the process of applying for a string of other grants from bodies such as Heritage Lottery and the Learning and Skills Council.
Head of development at the Glasshouse Arts Centre Janine Christley, said: "People will see a complete change at the Glassouse Arts Centre over the next few years, it is really exciting and will be a shot in the arm for Stourbridge."
The centre is working in conjunction with The Red House Glass Cone in Wordsley and Broadfield House Glass Museum in Kingswinford to make the most of the tourism potential of the area's glassmaking past.
The Glasshouse Arts Centre and college was set up in 2001 at the the former Webb Corbett and Royal Doulton site.
There young people with learning difficulties are taught traditional skills such as glassblowing and glass cutting by people who have worked in the industry most of their lives.
Businesses including glassmakers, photographers and other artists are also based in workshops around the site.
