Steve Gibbons of the Steve Gibbons Band recalls his memories of the Royalty. Read Here
LETS HELP OUR HIGH STREET RECOVER. SUPPORT BRINGING BACK THE ROYALTY.
Latest News.
Trust in discussions with Birmingham City Council Planning Department WMCA (West Midlands Combined Authority) and True Pearle. Find out more here
Asset of Community Value nomination refused by Birmingham City Council. Why ????. Read the response to our FOI request. Find out more here
Public Consultation Results Available.
The Consultation results on the Harborne Royalty are available to download and view. As we suspected from the discussion with the public on the High Street its a massive YES to cinema and provision of community facilities and NO to more appartments. To download the consultation results click here. To see the summary of the results please visit our survey page to find out more about the consultation results and what respondents had to say.
Welcome to the Harborne Royalty Trust website.
This listed Art Deco building has for many years been forgotten. Yet it has so much history, architectural value and opportunity to serve the people of Harborne and much wider afield.
We are local people who actually care about this building and Harborne rather than just demolishing it for profit then walking away.
HARBORNE ROYALTY TRUST PLANS TO REGENERATE HIGH STREET AFTER COVID-19. THE TRUST LOOKS TO GET THE ROYALTY REBUILT AS A MIXED USE COMMERCIAL/COMMUNITY FACILITY
The Trust have continued to work hard behind the scenes, talking to funders and battling to bring this building back as a catatalyst for saving and rejuvinating our High Street. Crucially the Council have now made clear the level of development acceptable on the site and also that 'community aspects' are a necessary part of it. This is great news and gives clarity to all parties. Following our discussions with WMCA, regular meetings have been convened by them since March involving the Trust, WMCA, the Council and the owner True Pearle Ltd. In the meantime we have continued to work with our architects. This follows on from our viability study to look at cost and revenue projections. Ours is a comprehensive piece of work (down to the cost of an ice cream) and it will be interesting to compare it with anything put forward to show restoration can't be justified.
We are local people defending a local asset and working hard on your behalf. The public are clear they don't want more flats; they want something positive brought back to Harborne, something vibrant that will regenerate the west end of the High Street and replace what was lost when the Clock Tower was sold off cheaply by the Council to another developer. More than ever we need the Royalty and the footfall it can generate to help bring back the vitality of our High Street after the damage wrought by Covid-19 and the invasion of Ukraine.
The Trust's architectural proposals have already received great support from the public (to date over 90% want the Royalty restored as a community facility). We have made it clear to all parties we are ready to work with True Pearl or their architect, sit down around a table and have a constructive conversation on a way forward. The Trust, especially with future charitable status, will be able to access funding not accessible to the owner, opening up opportunities for the building not otherwise available and with a different not-for-profit financial model.
We have a team of volunteers working hard to save the Royalty and bring jobs and investment for the benefit of Harborne and the wider community. We are ready to engage at any time to find a solution acceptable to all parties.
We have had many volunteers and supporters who have come forward and for whom we are very grateful. They are starting to provide some of the fascinating information on the Royalty you can read elsewhere.
Rob Sutton. Chair Harborne Royalty Trust.
Do you want to be able to say... 'I helped support support Harborne's future by saving part of Harborne's History'. If so, join us or make your feelings known. Our local contacts page gives you contact details for Councillors and Officials who represent us.
There are many more fascinating websites providing information on cinema and theatre as well as those working hard to preserve them. Go to our links page to find out more.
Meet the Harborne Royalty Trust board members volunteers, who are working hard to bring this project to fruition.
We would like to thank those who took many of the pictures used in this website to publicise the marvellous interior of the Royalty. We do not have their identities so we cannot name them but we will remove any of those images if they contact us and request us to do so. If we are to save this building their images will have played an important part.
Website disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Rob Sutton and while I endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, I make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will I be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
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