LANDSCAPE artist and gallery owner Ben Haslam is launching an exciting new arts venue in the historic stone vaults beneath his shop on Hallgate in Hexham.

“The idea is we will open up the vaults and it will be a really interesting diverse space with pop-up exhibitions, art classes, lectures and musical events.

“It will be a unique subterranean space and I think a tremendous asset for Hexham. I really want it to be an alternative arts hub for pop-up exhibitions, choral groups, classical guitar, folk music, jazz and theatre.”

Ben is keen to research the history of the vaults, which he believes were once a malt kiln in the mid-1600s.

“Over the years it then moved into the brewing industry and in the 1830s was used as a wine porter merchants. Right up to the 1950s it was utilised by Scottish and Newcastle Breweries.”

However, its history could stretch back even further than the 1600s and Ben would be interested to work with local historians to discover more.

Work has already started on removing the old mortar from the original stonework which will be repointed and sealed. Planning permission is dependent on an acoustic test to ensure noise is kept to a minimum for residents living close to the gallery.

At present the vault is separated into two rooms by a middle wall originating from the 1970s but this is going to be knocked down and a steel arch put in place so that it becomes one big room accommodating up to 60 people. It will feature a stage at one end and restrooms at the other and there will be seating space in between. Two windows in the rear wall of the cellar, which Ben believes probably gave on to an old backyard, will be refurbished by an artist to provide light features.

It was perhaps not the most auspicious time for investment when Ben originally moved into the gallery in 2008, the year of the financial crash. But in 2013 James Alder Fine Art had begun to operate alongside.

And following this successful co-operation, Ben invited prominent art dealer Andy Balman, owner of the then Corbridge based Balman Gallery, to join forces just over a year ago.

Now it is supported by leading international and nationally acclaimed artists.

“We went through a difficult trading period,” he admits. “But through thick and thin we have survived and developed the gallery.”

When the opportunity came to buy it from his landlord 10 months ago, he jumped at the chance.

“It was an exciting moment for the gallery and I had a twinkling in my eye then to turn the vaults, which were just being used for storage, into a really nice function space.

“I have always thought of the gallery as an arts centre as I’ve always run art classes and had such a variety of different art,” he said.

“I want it to be an arts venue more than anything. I will look to meet with other groups and individuals who maybe want to have a function space to run independent arts activities and I will then help them market those through the gallery website and the gallery bulletin.”

Ben anticipates the £15,000 project will be open later in the summer.