Gary Lightbody hopes former court turned arts venues will spark 'renaissance' in Bangor

Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody has expressed his hope that a former court turned music and arts venues will spark a renaissance in his home city of Bangor.

Lightbody visited Bangor Court House on Thursday after the initiative beat off competition from 16 other National Lottery-funded projects across the UK to be named the 2023 National Lottery Project of the Year.

It is the first time a project from Northern Ireland has lifted the award.

Lightbody said to see the venue fully renovated and up and running, with 55% of the performances by local musicians, is “an absolute delight”.

He described the Bangor scene as “so verdant and exciting”, and referenced Foy Vance and The Florentinas.

“It’s the first of its kind in Bangor, there’s not really anything else like it in terms of a place that is purpose-built for music and art,” he said.

“It’s something that will hopefully lead the way in Bangor for a renaissance, it would be lovely to see this place burst back.”

Asked would he ever plan to play at the venue himself, Lightbody hinted he was open to it, adding he would have to be asked first.

Bangor Court House opened its doors as a venue in October 2022.

It was once the third largest branch of the Belfast Banking Company, built during the 1860s, before taking on a new role as a magistrates’ court in the 1950s.

The building lay empty for several years after the court closed in 2013 before local charity Open House became involved and transformed it into an arts and music venue.

Kieran Gilmore, Open House Director, said they are “beyond grateful” to all those who voted for Bangor Court House for the award.

“We are absolutely delighted to be the 2023 winners of the National Lottery Project of the Year Award, especially as this is the first time a project from Northern Ireland has lifted the trophy, and we’re beyond grateful to every single person who gave us their vote and helped make it happen,” he said.

“Back in the summer of 2013, when we held our first annual Open House Festival in Bangor, we had no idea that the Court House would become both our home and the only dedicated music and arts venue in the town, now city.

“But when we launched a crowdfunding campaign to save the old, empty building in 2017, the public support we received from our festival audience assured us we were doing the right thing.

“Those same people supported us through five years of fundraising and renovation and have now become our Court House audience too. They voted for us in their thousands to receive this award, and it belongs to them just as much as it does to us.”

Dr Paul Mullan, Northern Ireland director at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, praised the passion and commitment of the team which “has ensured the revival and rebirth of their building into a dynamic and modern cultural venue”.

“It is our mission at The National Lottery Heritage Fund to not only invest in heritage but to invest in communities. The regeneration of Bangor Court House is a living, breathing example of this in action. National Lottery players,” he added.

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