http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jun/25/lit-phil-neil-tennant
I have been in a few times, and it is a great place. If I lived in Newcastle (still on the cards), I could definitely while away some time in there.
It is somewhat unlikely that it could form any sort of model for civic 'big society' projects, however. The private sector is not identified with learning and awareness of history today.
