GAS worked closely with Tameside Council, choreographer Stacey Maurice who directed almost 200 dancers for the performance and creative producers Stone Soup who led the multi partnership project.
The opening event attracted over 10,000 people to celebrate the rebirth of this iconic piece of English history. The large brick Italianate building fell out of use 40 years ago and was on the at English Heritage at risk register but until funding of £3 million from Tameside Council, Heritage Lottery Fund and the European Funding Agency saved it. The Victorian building will be the centre of the local community once again offering a tech hub to a local community of entrepreneurs.
Tameside Council, councillor Jim Fitzpatrick said, "Bringing Ashton Old Baths back into use is a significant achievement and I am really proud of the way in which the Council working with partners including the Heritage Lottery Fund, Placefirst, AGMA, and the European Funding Agency have breathed life back into this fantastic building. The celebration event on the 19th of March is the culmination of years of hard work and determination and I know the community will be as fascinated as I am to see how Gas Music interpret the fascinating past and bright future of this much loved building."
GAS Music co-founder, Gary Hilton; said, "We are delighted to be part of this amazing project that has sympathetically restored the historical Ashton Old Baths and made the building essential again for today's local residents. The 150-year-old building has survived through a turbulent history and we had a great time representing that timeline through our original music that was used by Stacey from Torque Dance and her small army of dancers to create an amazing show. It was an honour to create the backdrop to this show by using CGI. Great job everyone."
(Jim Evans)
