All hands to the pump to get Bluecoat on the move

May 22 2008 by Richard Down, Liverpool Daily Post

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THE full impact of the blaze that hit Liverpool’s Bluecoat may take months to assess, management has revealed.

The arts centre on School Lane will reopen tomorrow just 10 days after a blaze threatened to ravage the entire complex.

Initial fears that massive renovation work costing £12.5m had been wiped out by the kitchen fire were dispelled thanks to sterling work by the fire crews which undoubtedly prevented the loss of the city’s oldest city centre building.

Bluecoat chief executive Alistair Upton last night said: “The full extent of having to close for these 10 days may not be known for some time.

“People want to read and find out about a fire in a gallery but a reopening is a little harder to publicise.”

Tenants have been back in the build- ing since Monday, and on Friday the art centre will open up with a stellar gig featuring Wiley, whose latest single Wearing My Rolex has threatened to top the charts in recent weeks.

Wiley has been heralded as one of the most innovative producers in British electronic music and the gig is set to bring in a younger audience to the Bluecoat as the centre rebuilds and moves on.

Mr Upton said: “Since the fire last Tuesday morning, staff at the Bluecoat have been pulling out the stops to get the building up and running and open to the public once again.”

Most of the building is untouched and in the absence of a functioning restaurant upstairs, Espresso will produce daily special salads, afternoon teas and drinks that can be enjoyed in the garden.

Top 10 artist Wiley will hold a mast- erclass in Grime to mark the second opening this spring. Gallery staff are also celebrating getting the new exhibition Variable Capital up in time for Friday. The exhibition includes work by Andy Warhol and staff were hanging exhibits within hours of the flames being quelled.

The weekend will also feature In Conversation: Howard Marks, the cult figure once known as a money launderer and dope dealer, who will be speaking to Harry writer and stand-up storyteller Harry Morris who has 30 years with the Strathclyde Police.

Paul Corcoran, one of the tenants who moved back in yesterday at Agent Marketing, said: “It has obviously been a difficult week without access to our space but as occupiers of the building we just wanted to support the Bluecoat team in their efforts.”

richarddown@dailypost.co.uk