What’s in a Name? (the formal announcement of the new name for the current Rhodes Arts Complex)
In line with its strategy to re-launch the Rhodes Arts Complex, to better fulfill its anticipated future role in the cultural life of Bishop’s Stortford and district, the Rhodes Birthplace Trust has announced that the new name for the complex will be South Mill Arts. The effective date of the change will be Monday 24th August 2020.
Whilst the trust originally indicated that it would consult the local community about a new name, the lively debate in the press, on social media and in unsolicited emails to the complex has more than adequately expressed the community’s views and the trustees now feel that such a consultation is not necessary.
The rationale behind the chosen name is based upon the location of the complex and an examination of the town’s industrial heritage, as themed by the museum.
South Mill Arts is situated close to Millars 1, 2 and 3, listed Malt houses, and has an access on to Southmill Road (formerly Old Stortford Road), at the other end of which (approximately) was South Mill, one of two watermills in the town, mentioned in the Domesday book of 1086. The choice of South Mill Arts as a new name for the centre reflects clear and appropriate historical links spanning almost a millenium, recognises the town’s heritage in the milling and malting industries, and identifies the geographic location of the building. From a practical viewpoint, this will prove invaluable in the transition period, until the old name is no longer in common usage.
It is our ambition that the relationship between South Mill Arts and the new town centre Arts Complex at Old River Lane will be interdependent and complementary, leading to an overall betterment of the town’s cultural offering to the surrounding catchment. The chosen name is commercially neutral and will enable the option of a joint corporate identity to be developed for the two sites at the appropriate time, whilst allowing South Mill Arts to develop its own ethos.
To this end we will be encouraging the use of a new familiar name for activities at South Mill Arts, by the use of the familiar suffix “The Mill”. Whilst the building housing South Mill Arts has never been a mill, the name commemorates the past existence of a 1,000-year-old infrastructure artefact in the history of our town which was close to the current site of the museum.
In line with the intimate style and ethos that we seek for South Mill Arts we will refer to events (such as our annual hosting of the Hertfordshire Jazz Festival) as “Jazz at the Mill”, or, in celebrating the festive season, “Christmas at the Mill”. The creative, marketing and promotional possibilities are endless and will allow us to more rapidly replace “Rhodes” with “The Mill” as the familiar name in the minds of our clientele in the shortest possible timescales.
On announcing the change, the chairman, Deirdre Glasgow, said
“We have kept our promise to the town and chosen a name that does not honour any person, living or dead, but does have an historical link to the town and it’s wider history. With this in mind, we will not participate in any attempt to eradicate Cecil Rhodes from our history. We have already demonstrated that the museum is very capable of working in concert with local schools to educate students about the life and times of Rhodes and the wider history of Bishop’s Stortford, and will continue to ensure that all the evidence and facts are available for schools and visitors to discover the truth for themselves.
This is a very exciting and inspiring time for the future of South Mill Arts and we hope the community will continue to support us as we gradually ease ourselves back into post pandemic operation. We would be delighted to see customers, old and new, visiting us at ‘The Mill’ and enjoying our Covid-secure facilities. Pop into the Maltings bar and cafe if you are passing or find out more about us and our exciting plans by visiting our website at www.rhodesartscomplex.co.uk (until 23rd August) and after that at www.southmillarts.co.uk
