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Trowbridge cinema project in doubt as administrators called in

1:10pm Monday 1st June 2009


The developer in charge of building the £90m Waterside project including a cinema in Trowbridge has gone into administration throwing the scheme’s future into doubt.

Modus Ventures, which owns more than 40 companies across Britain, went into administration on Friday.

The company’s Wiltshire arm was in court to face a winding-up order earlier this month filed by planning consultants who were owed £200,000 by the firm.

Earlier in May two other Modus-related firms in the north of England went into administration.

No other businesses related to the company, which also has an extensive investment arm, are affected by the administration, administrators KPMG said.

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said: “We have learnt Modus Ventures, the parent company of the proposed Waterside developer, has gone into administration.

“Further enquiries are taking place, following which a paper will be submitted to Wiltshire Council’s cabinet at the earliest opportunity.

“This does not necessarily spell the end of the project, but certainly will lead to delays.

“The council is committed to the regeneration of the Waterside, and Trowbridge as a whole. We will do our upmost to pursue the right development for this site.”


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U wot, Trowbridge says...
1:15pm Mon 1 Jun 09

Yep ... that's about rite.
Its a good job the brewery has gone because this lot would not be able to organise a P"ss up in it!!!!

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D@ve, Trowbridge says...
1:39pm Mon 1 Jun 09

Should never of got to this stage, I don't think Modus was the right developer in the first place for this development.

Wiltshire County Council had a shortlist and it should of been given to Parkridge (who lost to Modus) in the first place. Even though this developer lost out they have still shown their commitment and desire to the town with the Shires Gate and Cradle Bridge developments that are being pushed forward and one of which nearly complete.

Lets hope they are still interested and can take on the plans already drawn up, saving a lot of time, money and anger to the people of West Wiltshire. Wiltshire Council should be actively approaching them now, be proactive not reactive for once.

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mr_flibble, Trowbridge says...
2:18pm Mon 1 Jun 09

I'm hardly a Council lover as I have many problems with Councillors but how is this the Council's fault? I assume thats what you mean U Wot?

D@ve, hindesight is a wonderful thing, isn't it. Modus won becuase their scheme was the best at the time.

Sadly the Council will have to re-advertise the whole thing again as they cannot seam to favour any company over another.

People still fail to understand that these type of projects require developers being able to get credit so they can finance the build. People don't get it that it is not the fault of the Local Authority that the banking crisis happened and all credit has dried up.

How about U wot, the Council says "ok then, to get this going the people of the western hub of Wiltshire will each have to pay another £100 this year in Council tax to fund this project? You wouldn't like that would you?

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U wot, Trowbridge says...
3:12pm Mon 1 Jun 09

Strangely enough I don't mind paying more for services.

Can we not blame the council....
We have been promised this cinema and bowling project for over 20 years .... yea that's right OVER 20 YEARS!!!!
It has had many proposed homes over that time, Bradford road , and Southwick country park to name two.

Look at the old Tesco site and Peter Back.still waiting, and the council took money from Tesco for that one!

Yep good old Trowbridge ... Plss up in the brewery!!!!

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D@ve, Trowbridge says...
3:16pm Mon 1 Jun 09

Wiltshire Council do not need to advertise it again, they don't need to show that they are backing a specific company over another, they can just give it to the company that lost out to Modus.

As to saying that Modus won because their scheme "was the best at the time" is not what I agree with. Having seen the plans and been involved indirectly from the offset it was quite clear to myself and many others that the Modus scheme wasn't everyone's cup of tea. Just my opinion mind.

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lezruw-nikarnoom, Trowbridge says...
6:58pm Mon 1 Jun 09

Many problems are created by council tinkering with no actual accountability - just spend taxpayer money till all gone.

Wonder how long till parking wardens kill all small retail business in town - make Tesco / Sainsbury very happy - make Trowbridge people much poorer.

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nissan21, trowbridge says...
7:22pm Mon 1 Jun 09

what a joke... County town of wiltshire... my ****!!

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Nick Taken, Trowbridge says...
7:31pm Mon 1 Jun 09

Around and around we go.
This dejavu tactic seems to work everywhere for everything.
Unless it upsets the locals, then it's signed off and completed just like that. .

You watch... if it's controversial it will get the go-ahead.

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themarkyofbath, Trowbridge says...
9:47pm Mon 1 Jun 09

I travel the country and have seen many county towns and believe Trowbridge to be one of the worst. Its town centre provision has been to give us one derelict site after another. I have read with disgust as Councillors have turned down many proposed redevelopment over the years to maintain Trowbridge's "market town" feel.

The councillors have caused this delay and could've had Trowbridge looking nicer at any point during the boom time over the last 10 years.

The town has many discount stores and cheap clothing outlets. Why can't we have some variety in both local and recognisable stores, cinemas and a choice of supermarkets and town centre shops. Yes we may lose Knees through modernisation of the town centre, but this style of department store has been on the endangered list for many years now.

If you look at Taunton and other similar County Towns we are a long way behind. Keeping us held back only benefits Tesco's monopoly more.

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vexillologist, Trowbridge says...
9:24am Tue 2 Jun 09

I feel sorry for the planning consultants who have lost £200,000, it is very difficult to compare Trowbridge to other County Towns as it has a completely different structure and mix of businesses and history to towns such as Exeter, Gloucester or Taunton, Oxford or Dorchester, the administrative centres or county towns of our neighbours. In addition how did a tiny town in the middle of nowhere (Crewkerne) manage to get a brand new large branch of Waitrose?

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1984, southwick says...
9:36am Tue 2 Jun 09

The sooner we can move away from this broken Town the better.,but who would buy a house in this deadbeat, inbred excuse for a county town!I really though (foolishly) that something might happen might happen.

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mungus, says...
11:27am Tue 2 Jun 09

I like in Bradford and go to Trowbridge as rarely as possible. Every time I do, I'm shocked by the creeping deriliction and decay. Half the shops in town are empty, yet there is always talk of new development and companies keen to establish themselves in the town. I've yet to see any action from these people. In five years time, there'll just be Tesco and 'spoons.

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tethered, warminster says...
1:00pm Tue 2 Jun 09

If you thinkk it is bad there come and take a look at warminster it is not far off from Trowbridge.Every time applications are put in the good old councillors find something to object on.East street is a street ful of scruffy derelict shops.The mall they want to demolish and rebuild the library which is not neccesary,and last but not least The Bustling Cornmarket which is never busy at any time of day apart from the greasy cafe all other shops are empty.Surely it is better to fill the shops even if they dont get full rents.Our town is losing traders also because of ongoing roadworks and if councillors there and here dont listen to the public and pull their finger out we will lose even more custom.Be grateful for tesco i wish we had a big one like you.Manky Morrisons as my kids call it is awful.It is about time the public who pay their taxes had more control over what it gets spent on.Good luck with it.

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scoframatt, Warminster says...
2:07pm Tue 2 Jun 09

I agree with tethered from Warminster. The council seem to stop everything put in front of it, in favour of empty shops. Bring on Waitrose and Tesco and give the people of Warminster some choice. (M&S food turned down twice…result M & Co and ANOTHER £ shop, Dominoes turned down twice result a YMCA charity shop to add to the 10 or so already in the town, McDonalds tuned down…result another £ shop) As for Trowbridge, it is such a shame the cinema will be delayed if ever in coming to the town. For a decent cinema seat, it is roughly a 30 mile round trip Bath. I can not believe a cinema to serve Trowbridge and the surrounding towns has not been built sooner. Sadly Trowbridge and Warminster are victims of their incompetent councils who want nothing more than empty shops and derelict sites. If we could sell our house we would be gone by now, and good riddance.

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lezruw-nikarnoom, Trowbridge says...
8:58pm Tue 2 Jun 09

Few folk feel they're not getting ahem... value for money from "public servants" and elected representatives then ?

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MissScarlet, Trowbridge says...
9:03pm Tue 2 Jun 09

Trowbridge as the county town is a joke, like someone commented earlier, if a supermarket wants to come here the council embrasses them with open arms, course we are short of supermarkets aren't we? Any type of entertainment, forget it. I agree Trowbridge looks like a ruddy bomb site from the last war which ever direction you approach it, the Shires will be soon be nothing more than a covered walk through to the other side of town. Have just come back from Cornwall, from a small town in the middle of no where which manages to maintain and support a 2 screen cinema, the likes of this town couldn't support a leaning fence post. I have lived here most of my life and this town is becoming a derelict mess. There is so much revenue going out of this town to places like Bath & Bristol, we frequently go to both, what is there in this town to do in the evening and to keep us townies here.

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heckler, Tinpot Town says...
9:43am Wed 3 Jun 09

"Told you so"

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moonrakin wurzel, TROWBRIDGE says...
1:15am Thu 4 Jun 09

heckler wrote:
"Told you so"
Think I did too....

Tom Rothschild as "Mayor of Wiltshire" is beginning to look like a sane/viable option

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moonrakin wurzel, TROWBRIDGE says...
1:25am Thu 4 Jun 09

What am I bid on the lifetime of the miserable glass box at the end of Bythesea Road?

Less than a year is my starter...

Given the faffing in the planning process the result is well, kerr_app

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