The Gregson Centre

The Gregson Centre in Lancaster, England (previously known as the Gregson Institute) is an arts and community centre, music venue and Cafe-bar which has been awarded the Cask Marque. There is a micro-cinema and a lift enabling access to all public areas. It is one of the last medium-sized music venues in the area, and is owned by a charity, the Gregson Community Association Limited, and managed on a daily basis by the committed Gregson Centre Ltd company.Mission statementThe aims of the Gregson Arts and Community Centre are to promote the benefit of the inhabitants of the local community, without distinction; to advance education; and to provide facilities for recreation and leisure time activities.HistoryThe Gregson Institute was founded in 1889 as a memorial to Henry Gregson. The Gregson family included his father Samuel Gregson and his brother Samuel Gregson, Mayor of the City of Lancaster and Liberal MP 1847, co-founder of the Natural History Museum, and one of the Victorians responsible for giving the world the word "dinosaur". Following in the family tradition, Henry himself was elected Mayor of Lancaster in 1850. The funds for the building came from many notable sources including James Williamson (later Baron Ashton) and the Storey Brothers. It was designed by Paley and Austin. Henry also gave funds to establish the nearby Christ Church. A hall was added in 1912, named "The Bartlett Hall" after the first vicar of Christ Church. The building was originally Temperance run by "The Lancaster Coffee Company", then used by Christ Church Primary School as the School Hall until becoming surplus when the new School was built on Derwent Road. After it had stood empty for several years, a group of like-minded souls in 1984 created a charity called The Freehold Community Association and bought the building to run as a community centre. The charity has since changed its name to The Gregson Community Association, later still (2006) incorporating to form the Gregson Community Association Limited.