With the regeneration of The Malls in progress, the Top of Town wants to spread the message that Basingstoke is not just a shopping destination, but also a cultural hub.
The £5.9m project to refurbish The Malls is well under way and will boost the borough’s standing as one of the county’s shopping hot spots.
Yet Basingstoke is about much more than the bargains to be bagged in The Malls and Festival Place.
Borough cabinet member for culture Cathy Osselton said: “I see the rejuvenation of The Malls as an opportunity to work together to bring more people to Basingstoke, and to the Top of the Town, for the culture as well as the shopping.”
Curator of the Willis Museum Sue Tapliss shares in this hope.
Ms Tapliss, who has been curator since 2001, is not against council funding being spent on The Malls, but wants to make sure that people continue to appreciate the Top of Town as the cultural heart of Basingstoke.
She said: “The Top of Town has a completely different character – we are distinctly Basingstoke.
Here at the museum, we hold exhibitions by international artists, but we also sell crafts made by local people.
You can sit in our café, eat cakes made in a village in the borough and buy a unique piece of art by a Basingstoke artist.
We have to make sure that people keep coming up here and continue to appreciate the Old Town.”
Andy Buchanan, director of the Fairfields Arts Centre, said the Fairfields area should be recognised as a cultural hub.
“This area is like a mini cultural quarter for Basingstoke,” he said. “There’s music at the Bounty pub, the Hindu temple, the Irish centre… and the art here at the Fairfields centre itself.
“People don’t think of this place as the Top of the Town, even though its only minutes walk away from London Road.
“We’re often excluded from funding plans by the council and I don’t see council money coming here any time soon.
“But we’re completely supportive of the rejuvenation of The Malls, because it will improve Basingstoke’s image.
Now, hopefully, more people will visit Basingstoke and get to know about its cultural talent.”
