Rees defends escalating costs of Bristol Beacon revamp

Marvin Rees has defended the escalating costs of Bristol Beacon’s revamp, saying that pushing ahead with the project “is the best financial option for Bristol”.

Speaking about the news that the cost of the concert venue’s refurbishment has risen by another £25m, Rees, mayor of Bristol, said: “The financials around Bristol Beacon are a massive challenge for us, we can’t pretend otherwise.

“It’s gone up from £55m to now £130m and we recognise this is a real challenge for the city.”

The latest hike brings the total cost of the work to £131.9m, with Bristol City Council’s contribution likely to be £83.9m – more than eight times the original estimate. The council’s cabinet is set to approve the increased bill from borrowing to be paid back over the next 50 years.

“What I will say is that every stage, we look at the economic value of it,” Rees said, justifying the additional cost, which follows a huge increase in the total cost in 2021 from £52m to £107m.

“There have been some massive challenges in the construction, the complexity of the building, historic features, and standards of work historically that would not meet today’s standards.

“As the construction guys were saying, they’ve had to go a lot further backwards, to go forward and redo old work.”

Finishing the revamp is one of three options for Bristol Beacon, formerly the Colston Hall, published in a recent report, with another being an immediate stop to work. This would still cost £12.5m “due to unprecedented volatility and uncertainty in the construction sector”.

The council is set to decide to complete the project with a renewed investment of £25m rather than stop or pause the scheme

Responding to if he agreed that the project has been “well resourced and managed” as outlined in cabinet papers, Rees said: “Yes, in the face of all the challenges at local government, it has been well resourced and managed.

“With a challenge of this complexity, there are so many moving parts. There’s constructions, consultants, inspectors and heritage, which all go into delivering this project.”

The mayor, who is running to be MP for Bristol North East, said that Bristol is a city that has “historically has kicked difficult decisions down the road, which is why we have so many infrastructure challenges coming through in our bridges, like Bristol Beacon.”

“That’s symptomatic of previous leadership, not making decisions,” Rees continued.

“We grabbed this building, we’ve made a decision and it’s expensive. But if we didn’t do it, it will be more expensive.

“We’d have a building just like the old postal office sorting site by Temple Meads just closed and deteriorating in the middle of the city.”

Bristol Beacon is due to reopen on November 30

Rees added: “We’re building Bristol for the first time in decades. At this moment in time, with the options we have on Bristol Beacon, completing the job and delivering a world class venue is not only culturally but financially the best option for Bristol.”

Rees and cabinet are set to decide to complete the project with a renewed investment of £25m rather than stop or pause the scheme at a meeting on January 24.

All photos: Betty Woolerton

Read next:

• Music video provides glimpse inside Bristol Beacon’s new spaces
• Council contribution to Bristol Beacon refurbishment rises to £84 million
• Bristol Beacon will be ‘a focal point for music in the city’

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