Diss Heritage Triangle Project

Transform Diss Back the Triangle Save the Corn Hall

Arts centre for 21st century Updated facilities Restore historic features

Make pedestrian friendly Diss’s story brought to life Fill empty shops Attract more visitors

The Corn Hall

St Nicholas St

Wildlife garden and Viewing platform with ‘Glow Path’ linking The Mere to Market Hill

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Floating island

Market Place

Town Hall

A complete regeneration of the historic heart of Diss is taking shape.

The plans will transform the way people see the town’s traditional centre – the Corn Hall and the ‘Heritage Triangle’, which links St Nicholas Street, Market Hill and Market Place. And a new aspect of the Mere will be opened up.

St Mary Church

It will bring new life to the town It will bring more shops and activity to the town.

There’ll be more visitors and more jobs. Diss will be an outstanding shopping and tourist attraction in South Norfolk and an even more rewarding place to live.

Museum

Please help us to reach our goal The whole project will cost about £3 million and the Diss Heritage Partnership – the Corn Hall Trust, the Town Council and the Museum - are two-thirds of the way towards this target. Now we need to raise a crucial £100,000 locally to help fund the gap.

Boardwalk across The Mere The Mere

Something historic is happening in Diss

You can help make this once-in-a generation project for your community happen. Please give your support by making a contribution.

You can keep up with our progress – and the difference you’ve made - on the Heritage Triangle website www.heritagetriangle.co.uk Supported by

The Corn Hall – an arts centre to be proud of Since the Corn Hall was reopened in 2010, its cinema, live theatre, comedy, music and art have entertained the people of Diss and the surrounding villages.

But there’s trouble ahead. The building suffers from significant structural problems that may force it to close in the next few years. Something has to be done.

However, we have to do more than paper over the cracks.

Victorian grandeur with an up-to-date experience Restoration work will return the Hall to its former glory.

Sympathetic new building will incorporate features making it fit for the 21st century.

For centuries the Heritage Triangle was the commercial heart of Diss; in fact it was so busy that 100 years ago Park Road was built to ‘bypass’ it. But along with the traffic, much of the shopping left the area.

Our aim is to encourage shoppers and tourists to come back, stroll around the area and enjoy its historic buildings, its award winning museum, its cafes and its unique ‘yards’ with their excellent specialist shops.

And we’ll bring alive the story of Diss and its people through signage and contemporary ‘apps’.

Modifications to pavements and road surfaces will create a more harmonious balance between motorist and pedestrian. And benches, planters and a quieter atmosphere will make it a more enjoyable place to spend time in and explore.

The Triangle will become a destination

Restored and improved Corn Hall * Improved acoustics * Efficient heating

Refurbished auditorium

G.16 Kitchen

G.18 Furniture Store

G.22 Performers Stair FFL=39.19 G.24 Store

sliding/ folding door

G.14 Bar / Servery

G.19 Waveney Room CH=3915 FFL=38.2 8

G.15 Bar

G.21 Corn Hall Stage FFL=39.19

G.07 male

G.08

WC (existing)

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G.06 Female

G.09

WC (existing)

CH=7895 FFL=38.28

Extent of retractable seating

Retractable seating closed position

G.23 Original Entrance Lobby

G.17 Store

Disabled WC

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E.01

Entrance Portico

G.13 Cellar

Store

G.11 Lobby to WC E.05 Stone Apron to front of Corn Hall- part of TLP proposal

G.20 Lobby FFL=38.28

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G.01 Foyer

G.05 Gallery

FFL=38.28

sliding door with overhead air curtain

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G.10 Lift

G.03

Manager's Office

G.02 Box Office

G.12 Plant Room (mechenical)

The Nutbush Public House

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Welcoming box office and foyer

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sliding/ folding door

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We’ll be open during the day as well as the evenings.

We’ll have new studio spaces, an interactive study centre, an enlarged gallery and more events and activities for young and old.

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You’ll be able to approach the theatre through a redesigned, attractive courtyard. The foyer and box office will be larger and more welcoming. There will be a new heating system which will cope with the coldest winters. Improved acoustics and retractable seating will provide a more enjoyable and comfortable experience.

Regenerating the Heritage Triangle

Redesigned attractive courtyard N

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status

PRELIMINARY

revisions

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20.03.14

Issued for information

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HUDSONArchitects 9 - 10 Redwell Street Norwich NR2 4SN tel 01603 766220 fax 01603 630469 www.hudsonarchitects.co.uk info@hudsonarchitects.co.uk job

Diss Corn Hall and Heritage Triangle

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Walking on Water

How you can help

The Mere is unique; it lends distinction and beauty to Diss.

All that’s missing is a spotlight to show off its best features.

It’s an ambitious project which will cost about £3 million and so far we have pledges totalling £2 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Norfolk County Council, Diss Town Council, Garfield Weston Foundation and other trusts. But these grants will be dependent on us raising £100,000 locally. The Trustees of the Corn Hall have personally pledged £10,000. That leaves £90,000 for the rest of us to find and make a real difference to the town.

We’ve designed a boardwalk to take pedestrians across the Mere from Mere Street and Kings Head Yard to a floating island. Landscaped gardens will lead up to Market Hill. A viewing platform above the gardens will give splendid views over the town.

Planting around the boardwalk will support the Mere’s biodiversity, and only native plants will be used in the wildlife garden.

The boardwalk, garden and views over Diss will complement the Park on the other side of the Mere.

The whole will be a marvellous attraction for tourists and residents alike.

Please donate All donors will be invited to our launch party and we will recognise your donation £100 makes you Silver Star receiving a commemorative certificate £200 and you become a Gold Star with your name permanently acknowledged on our Donor Board in the Corn Hall £500 and become a Platinum Star with a seat named for you and your name acknowledged on our Donor Board Whatever you give will be gratefully received – and you can pay over a period if you prefer.

Wildlife garden and Viewing platform Floating island and display

THANK YOU

Path to Market Hill Ecological Bridge to Hales Yard planting The Mere

Floating Boardwalk

Entrance from Kings Head Yard and Mere Street

Yes! I want to Back the Triangle and Save the Corn Hall

I would like to pay by

Name. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

l Credit card or debit card

Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........................................................

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Postcode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Tel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

l Cheque payable to: The Diss Corn Hall Trust This information will be destroyed after the transaction

Name. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(on card)

Card No. M Start

Y / M Expiry

Y CVC (3 digits on reverse)

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Signature

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Date

I would like to support the project with a donation of l £25 l £50 l £100 and become a Silver Star l £200 and become a Gold Star l £500 and become a Platinum Star l Other £ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Only donations to charities can attract Gift Aid. If you are a UK tax payer, and restrict your donation to the refurbishment of the Corn Hall, for every pound you give the Diss Corn Hall Trust gets an extra 25p from HMRC.

l I would like to make a pledge to the project rather than a donation now, or spread my payment by Direct Debit (over £100). Please contact me. l I am interested in sponsoring an event or discussing other ways of support. Please contact me.

If you prefer, you can donate anonymously on-line via mydonate. https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/disscornhalltrust In the unlikely event the project does not go ahead, we will contact you to ask if you would like your donation returned.

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My donation is to support the Diss Corn Hall refurbishment through The Diss Corn Hall Trust

I confirm I have paid or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/ or Capital Gains Tax. For each year of my donation that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for that tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. I understand that the charity will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that I give.

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With very many thanks for your help and support. All donations will be acknowledged.

Please return your form marked CONFIDENTIAL to: The Diss Heritage Partnership, Diss Corn Hall, St Nicholas Street, Diss, Norfolk IP22 4LB. Tel 01379 652241 The Diss Heritage Partnership is a partnership between Diss Corn Hall Trust, Diss Town Council and Diss Museum. The Diss Corn Hall Trust acts on behalf of the Partnership.

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