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Swann: ‘State Club will not re-open and wiser investment is needed in town’
The State Club, Gainsborough G120228-6
THE owner of the State Club in Gainsborough says there are ‘no plans’ to re-open the venue in the immediate future - but has called for wiser investment within the town centre.
The landmark venue on Church Street was once a thriving focal point of town centre nightlife before closing its doors in 2010.
It once housed a cinema and then a nightclub before hard times hit the industry during the recession. Owner and local entrepreneur Peter Swann told the Standard that the future of the State Club is unclear.
“I’m currently working on repairing the State Club because it has a lot of leaks,” he said. “I have no plans to re-open it. I just don’t have the time or the energy.”
Mr Swann continued: “It has been up for sale before but I’m not sure what the future holds.”
However, the club owner did say that he hoped the £500,000 redevelopment work to Market Street and Church Street that is due to start in January would improve the area’s fortunes.
“I hope those improvements make a difference down our way,” he said. “They’re having to drag business back to the town centre from Marshall’s Yard, but it shouldn’t have been allowed to get like this in the first place. More needs to be done to make the town centre a lifestyle location with restaurants and meeting places as it’s just not delivering anything that attracts people. Before I or any other businesses can make serious investments, the council need to decide on the priorities and identity of the town.”
He added: “There are a lot of positives about Gainsborough, but it really says a lot when the most exciting thing about the town is a McDonald’s or KFC - there has to be a whole new identity and I’d love to have been involved in helping move the town forwards, but that hasn’t been possible.”
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Weather for Gainsborough
Thursday 20 June 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 12 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 13 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: West
