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The Colston Hall will be renamed when it is relaunched in 2020, its boss has announced.

At a briefing on Wednesday morning directors of the Bristol Music Trust – which runs the venue - told members of the press the Bristol venue does not 'want an association' with slave trader Edward Colston.

Colston’s Hall will be given the new identity when it finally reopens after a £48.8million redevelopment.

Louise Mitchell, chief executive of the trust, said trustees voted unanimously before Easter to change the name.

The trust has been in charge of the venue for the past five years.

Ms Mitchell said: "We really don't feel that an association with Edward Colston, however tenuous, is something we want.

"I can't tell you what this name will be.

“The name Colston does not reflect the trust’s values as a progressive, forward thinking and open arts organisation.

“We want to look to the future and ensure the whole city is proud of its transformed concert hall and so, when we reopen the new building in 2020, it will be with a new name.”

And while the official name has yet to be chosen, talks are in place.

More than £30.5million of the project’s funding has already been raised, Ms Mitchell confirmed, and there will be an option for a company to offer money to name the building.

“We have always been clear that the option of commercial sponsorship would be part of our transformation fundraising plans and we are now looking to engage with commercial organisations about sponsorship opportunities, which is key to helping us reach our total,” she said.

“The new name could include recognition of a commercial partner, but we will be consulting with audiences and other stake holders during the closure period before announcing a new name in 2020.”

"We will work with artists to discuss the name change. For us it feels like the beginning of a new dawn.

"We're doing this now because it's the right thing to do. We're still in the Colston Hall, but I'm referring to this as the Bristol Concert Hall."

Louise added the decision to change the name came after a unanimous decision of the hall's board.

Various protests have taken place outside the hall over the last few months.

Ms Mitchell said it was still too early to say what the new name would be.

She said the name Colston Hall was initially given because it was built in Colston Street, and that the hall has not benefited from the slave merchant’s money.

“I had staff who have told me they have friends who are not happy to come into the building,” she said.

“To me, that is unacceptable. How can we be inclusive when people don’t come into the building?

“Colston died 150 years before the first act was played in this hall.”

She said this would be a positive step for the venue and for the city.

Marti Burgess, one of the trustees, said: “We want to use this as an opportunity to open discussions with the Bristol public about how Colston Hall can reflect the diversity and inclusivity of our city.

“The hall’s 150 anniversary this year is the perfect opportunity to begin these discussions.

“We will be appointing an artist to help us talk to local groups about Colston Hall’s role in the community and how we should recognise Colston’s name in the new building.

“We want to embrace our position a the centre of this naming discussion to work beyond the building and help lead conversations across Bristol about how we address and acknowledge the city’s connections to the slave trade.”

The Colston Hall also tweeted: "The name Colston doesn’t reflect our values as a progressive, forward-thinking and open arts org. so when we reopen we will have new name."