The Southbank Centre is struggling to fund major repairs to its ageing buildings – including a leaking roof at the Royal Festival Hall.
Elaine Bedell, chief executive of the Southbank Centre for nine years, is seeking £30 million from the government, after a report revealed the Royal Festival Hall alone is in need of £50 million of overdue maintenance.
The Hall has a pool of water on its roof which is leaking into the venue, alongside old windows in need of glazing – a job that could set them back £10 million.
The Southbank Centre receives £17 million a year from Arts Council England, but the funding is restricted to artistic programming and cannot be used for essential building maintenance. Whilst the government owns the buildings, the management organisation overseen by Bedell is expected to maintain them and the adjoining riverside.
The cultural complex is now awaiting a decision on a separate £10 million capital grant application to support urgent repairs to the Royal Festival Hall, including the replacement of its ageing glass facade and roof works.
This funding shortfall comes after the Centre’s eastern buildings, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room and Hayward Gallery were awarded Grade II listed status by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport earlier this month.
Whilst this shows that the government recognises the significance of the Southbank Centre’s buildings, it also means that making changes and doing repairs could prove difficult.
The Twentieth Century Society, which hailed the listing decision as a ‘victory over those who derided so-called “concrete monstrosities”’, is supporting Bedell’s plea for more funds.
Speaking to The Times, last week Bedell said: “We are able to do maintenance on an annual basis. But if we have a big capital project like a leaking roof – which we absolutely have got – we can’t just find £2 million.
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“[The] site itself needs work, and it needs planning, and it needs thought, and that is going to take investment. And we’ve got to find that investment from somewhere.”
Bedell believes that a large proportion the upcoming tourist tax on overnight visitors should be earmarked for cultural institutions like the Southbank Centre, which are a significant reason why London is a popular destination for tourists.
This year marks 75 years since the Royal Festival Hall was built as part of the Festival of Britain in 1951, as a symbol of hope straight after World War Two.
A spokesperson from the Southbank Centre said: “We are working to secure the investment needed to ensure our world-class buildings and 11-acre site remain safe, accessible and functional for the millions of people who visit us each year. The Southbank Centre is open Tuesday through Sunday, and maintenance is accommodated alongside our incredible programme.”
Their 75th anniversary programme features a varied line-up of art and music events, including the Meltdown festival, curated by Harry Styles, and a focus on the Undercroft skate park through photography, video and sound.
The line-up of 75th anniversary celebrations can be found here: https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/our-75th-anniversary
