COVENTRY’S LTB showrooms will be re-opening at its original venue this Saturday (May 13).
The showrooms were originally launched in 2021 above the Litten Tree pub to give local creatives a free space to exhibit their work.
The building is set to be bulldozed as part of the city centre south development.
The pub, which let the Showrooms organisers use the upstairs space for free, closed its doors in February amid rising electricity costs and reduced footfall, meaning the showrooms also had to vacate the premises.
Alan Denyer, who runs the showrooms, has been in contact with Coventry city council since about allowing the venue to temporarily reopen to be used to promote the city’s culture.
And the authority has now granted a free-use lease to allow the showrooms to remain at the Litten Tree pub building until November 30.
The volunteer-run and funded venue now has a new look, including new exhibition and event spaces on the ground floor, and will be open between midday and 4pm every day.
Alan said: “This is such great news for the community – the closure of the pub back in February meant the Showrooms had to vacate – but we reached out to the Council about LTB taking over the building, and they’ve been really supportive.
“LTB is funded by local volunteers, and supports local arts with free exhibition space – visitors love the ever-changing mix of local arts, music, heritage and culture on show around this interesting old building, so it’s great to be opening again.
“We’ve also now been able to include the ex-pub ground floor space too – which is really exciting as it gives us some great new exhibition areas, with disabled access.
“The ‘meanwhile-use’ lease gives us time to search for a new home.
“We’ll also be able to add to the exciting programme of cultural events we’ve delivered here since August 2021.”
Over 15,000 people have visited the LTB showrooms since it first opened, with around 700 creatives using the free display space, and over 150 events have taken place.
