A “MAGICAL” community arts venue in the heart of Southend may have to trim its expansion plans as its council funding comes to an end next year.

The Ironworks in the High Street has proved a hit with residents who can explore a variety of arts and crafts activities in the centre.

The centre has been so successful that founders and sisters Natalie and Ami Solomons launched a £250,000 fundraiser to install a lift to the first floor of the former Morrisons supermarket building, where a new community theatre and youth centre is planned.

But with council funding ending next year it is feared those plans will have to be put on ice.

Natalie said: “We’ve got a lease of 10 years and our landlord is so wonderful. He has agreed we could extend it to 25 years if that would help us with funding opportunities.

“We were awarded two years’ free rent and a 50 per cent reduction in rates from the council as part of the regeneration of the High Street. We were answering a tender to repurpose empty units which is what we’ve done with the objective of having the community at its heart .”

The sisters signed the lease in 2022 but did not get funding until May. By the time the architect’s drawings were completed and planning permission granted they were not able to open until September. The funding is due to end in February.

Ms Soloman said: “We have to make a decision in October as to whether we need to re-negotiate with the landlord as to whether we just rent the ground floor only, and then not explore the opportunities of a theatre on the first floor, a youth club, recording studios in the basement. We don’t have a lift so that’s the biggest stumbling block.

“We have been funded by the community investment board, Cultural Engine, to develop a business plan for further Government loans, and had positive chats with potential funders.”

She added: “We are such a community now and in the heart of the High Street so it would be devastating if we didn’t evolve. It would be amazing if the council could give us even just one more year because it take three years to prove a business’s viability.

“It’s amazing. It’s a bustling, energetic, vibrant and magical place that we cater for so many different people.”