I wrote last August about an online petition to push for Band on the Wall, the legendary Swan Street venue, to be reopened. I was around the 200th person to sign and the total now stands at 771.

Someone responded to what I wrote then, mentioning rumours of fraud, absconding trustee members and a police investigation - serious stuff I had also heard elsewhere.

Then a month ago Gawain Forster from BotW got in touch, denying all of the above, and wanting to put the record straight. He forwarded me emails from Allies of Band on the Wall, a mailing list for updates.

They say that back in August 2006 the Arts Council was holding back the £2.5m set aside for the project. BotW estimated that this delay was adding £14,000 per month to the project cost.

This was because the council “had obtained internal and external reports on the project that – though endorsing [its] artistic case - pointed to risk in the capital plan and the operating model”.

But here’s an extract from their latest email earlier this week:

I am delighted to report that both Arts Council England Lottery Fund and Manchester City Council have approved funding for us to take the project up to the stage when it can go out to tender. This funding also will enable us to make a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund, to carry out further work on the business plan and to make the final bid to the Arts Council and the City Council. If all goes according to plan construction/renovation work will start in the summer, with completion in 2008.

So it looks like the project is back on track.