Bristol Council criticised for delayed Beacon report

Bristol City Council has said it will miss a deadline for a lessons learned report into its budget-busting refurbishment of a city centre concert hall.

External auditors Grant Thornton had called on the council to issue a report "as soon as possible" and prior to the completion of the Bristol Beacon project, which has seen costs rise steeply from £48m to £132m. 

The venue is set to reopen to the public in November, but the council has admitted that its full report will not be published until February 2024.

Grant Thornton criticised the council for “underestimating the complexity and difficulty” of the project, resulting in the spiralling costs.

Council management said its review exercise began at the end of June and is “designed to provide critical lessons learned and stimulate important insights".

When it reopens, the council-owned venue will be managed by the charity Bristol Music Trust.