Plans have been revealed for a new music venue in the heart of York.
The 400-capacity venue is being added to proposals to redevelop a section of Rougier Street as the ‘Roman Quarter’.
And according to developer North Star, the owners of Fibbers are interested in relocating to the development.
Fibbers is due to close after its Toft Green home was sold for development.
Now hosting only club nights, its rolling extension runs until January, when it may close for good.
Talks are underway
A spokesman for North Star said that the new venue would be about the same size as Fibbers.
But it would be aimed at a variety of audiences – live music fans keen to see up and coming acts, and families looking for a night out.
He said:
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Talks are underway with various operators – from local to international companies – including the current owners of the Fibbers brand.
The new venue will be something completely different for York with the aim to reach a wide range of audiences.
Our intention is to ensure we enhance the already fantastic cultural offer of the city and to create a destination that will welcome as many people as possible.
Recently the owners of community venue The Crescent, facing its own threat from a new development, called for the city to rethink its priorities.
They said: “We need to have a larger conversation around what developers are doing to York, and the impact they are having on its culture.”
They have set up a York Music Venue Network with other venues in the city.
The Roman Quarter
North Star are planning a full redevelopment of Northern House, Rougier House and the Society bar.
They will be replaced by a Roman visitor attraction, apartments, retail, offices and restaurants and cafes – following a two-year archaeological dig.
Following a consultation process which developers say has been “overwhelming supportive so far”, a planning application is being worked up to be submitted in the coming weeks for the Roman Quarter development.
The Roman Quarter is a joint development between North Star and the York Archaeological Trust.