DIRECTOR of Derby Hippodrome Restoration Trust, Peter Steer, has criticised an idea from the new leader of the city council to transform the site of the stricken Assembly Rooms into a symphony hall.
Councillor Ranjit Banwait previously said he would like the building to be transformed into something like Birmingham's Symphony Hall – a grand venue, opened in 1991, that seats 2,262 in its auditorium.
But Mr Banwait said such a plan would be heavily dependent on cost.
Mr Steer said the price would be about £50 million and that he did not believe it would be the right choice.
He said: "Where's the £50 million going to come from? And then, if the council spent all that money, they will still be without a big enough theatre for the city and they are not going to have a flat-floored entertainment area either."
Mr Steer previously said the case for the council investing in the Hippodrome was stronger after the fall-out from the fire at the Assembly Rooms car park on March 14.
That led, in April, to the council announcing that the venue would be closed for at least 18 months.
The authority has said it is now considering whether to refurbish the building or replace it at its current site or elsewhere.
Mr Steer said the city needed a large purpose-built theatre as well as an "events venue", like the Assembly Rooms was.
He said that, if a two-building approach to entertainment was taken, the cheapest way would be to refurbish the Assembly Rooms and rebuild the Hippodrome.
But the council has said it would spend no more money to help the trust with its plans, citing cuts to its funding from the Government.
Speaking of the high cost of potential work on the Assembly Rooms, Councillor Martin Repton previously said that the council could potentially afford it through a mixture of an insurance pay-out for the fire damage and prudential borrowing.
