We believe that current and future generations should have access to good quality theatre buildings where they can be inspired by, and enjoy, live theatre.
Theatres Trust
22 Charing Cross Road
London WC2H 0QL
T 020 7836 8591
F 020 7836 3302 info@theatrestrust.org.uk www.theatrestrust.org.uk @theatrestrust
All unsigned or otherwise uncredited articles are the work of the Editors.
The views expressed editorially or by correspondents in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Trust. Notes, queries and letters are always welcome..
ISSN: 2756-0732 (Online) Design: Whatever Design
Burnley Empire Open Day December 2024
Photo: Ben Hamlen
Leith Theatre Open Door Tour
Photo: Courtesy of theatre
Bradford Live View from the Stage
Photo: David Oxaby
Director’s Welcome
Joshua McTaggart, Theatres Trust's new Director, introduces the first issue of Theatres Magazine in 2025
I’m delighted to welcome you to this edition of Theatres Magazine, published to coincide with the launch of the Theatres at Risk Register 2025.
I was privileged to start as Director of Theatres Trust at the end of last year, picking up the baton from Jon Morgan, who stepped down after an incredible 8 years of service. By way of introduction, I talk about my love of theatre, my career to date and my motivations for joining Theatres Trust on page 3.
As has become tradition, this first Theatres Magazine of the new year focuses on the Theatres at Risk Register, our flagship campaign highlighting the country’s special theatre buildings that are sadly in real danger of being lost. Although being at risk is a challenging and difficult period for many of these theatres and support groups, the campaign highlights the potential for these venues, reminds decision-makers that the theatre is important for their communities, and builds collegiate and collaborative relationships between ardent theatre supporters from across the UK.
This year’s Theatres at Risk Register comprises of 43 theatres, with one being removed and five being added. The background to these theatres is explained on page 16 and, for anyone unfamiliar with the Theatres at Risk Register, we set out the criteria used to compile and score the list on page 7. The challenges and trends emerging over the past year for Theatres at Risk are explored in more detail on page 11.
While 2024 was a difficult year for several Theatres at Risk, it is important to reflect on the success stories of theatres that had previously been under threat but have since been saved. As we look ahead to the exciting reopening of Bradford Live (formerly Bradford Odeon), the architects behind its magnificent restoration talk us through the project in the Showcase feature on page 19. While never included on the Theatres at Risk Register, Monmouth Savoy is another building with a turbulent history that has been brought back to life to benefit its community. The theatre is the subject of a fascinating new book, which is reviewed on page 32.
In our continued work to ensure theatres are protected for future generations, the Theatres Trust team dedicates significant time each year to prevent the circumstances that would lead to a theatre being added to the Theatres at Risk Register. A vital part of this process is our team responding to planning applications, which helps to protect theatre buildings from detrimental redevelopment and supports beneficial changes that ultimately help theatres to thrive. We’ve rounded up notable recent cases on page 27.
I would like to end with a heartfelt reminder that our critical work would not be possible without the ongoing commitment of our funders, partners, Corporate Supporters, Friends, and Patrons. Thank you to everyone who helps us in our mission to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to discover the true joy that live theatre performance can bring. I look forward to working with you in 2025 and beyond to make this a reality.
Joshua McTaggart
Photo: Rich Lakos
Introducing Joshua McTaggart
We gain insight into the inspirations and aspirations of Theatres Trust's new Director.
When I was seven years old, I became the owner of a theatre. This theatre had a footprint of about nine square feet, wasn’t much taller than six feet high, and it most certainly did not comply with any building or planning regulations.
You see, for my seventh birthday, my ingenious grandfather, inspired by my love for puppets, surprised me with my very own home-built puppet theatre. “JM Puppets” became a huge success, playing sold-out performances in my living room to audiences mostly consisting of my obliging mum, sister, and grandparents. Little did I realise that my childhood stint as a puppet theatre impresario was the start of an unpredictable adventure through the world of theatre buildings that, many years later, would lead me to Theatres Trust.
Throughout my childhood, my family introduced me to the joy of live theatre, including our local panto at the Westonsuper-Mare Playhouse, family-friendly productions at the stunning open-air Minack Theatre in Cornwall, and big-budget musicals at the Bristol Hippodrome, beautifully designed by the renowned Frank Matcham. I was also very fortunate to be taken to the West End as a child, visiting the Dominion Theatre to see Beauty and the Beast and the Lyceum Theatre to see The Lion King. Although I was always captivated by the performances on-stage, I was equally fascinated with the workings of these buildings and how they operated. So, when I turned 16, I eagerly applied for a part-time job as a Front of House Usher at Weston’s Playhouse. The Playhouse opened my eyes to behind-the-scenes of a 600-seat venue and showed me that a career in theatre was an exciting and achievable possibility.
While at the Playhouse, I earned a scholarship to study at Harvard University in the USA. Alongside my History and English Literature degree, I worked part-time as a Production Assistant at Sanders Theatre, a 1,000-seat auditorium inspired by Christopher Wren’s Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford, and I directed a number of student productions at theatres on campus, including Shakespeare’s The Tempest and Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd. I also spent time shadowing the Tony Award-winning director Diane Paulus at the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T), which was founded in 1979 by the visionary director Robert Brustein and housed in the Loeb Drama Center. In my final year at university, I was interviewed for a place at the Yale School of Drama’s Directing programme. Like any bright-eyed and overconfident twentysomething, I was convinced I would be admitted. When the rejection letter came just a couple of months before my graduation, I was crestfallen. I genuinely did not know what to do next. All I knew was that I wanted to work in theatre, somehow. So, when I returned to the UK that summer, I said farewell to my childhood home in Weston, and moved to London in search of a path into the industry.
During my initial months in London, I found a creative home as the Resident Assistant Director at the Finborough Theatre in West Brompton, an intimate and inimitable 50-seat theatre
above The Finborough Arms pub. I fell in love with London’s pub theatres, where urgent and powerful performances played out in rooms above the city’s watering holes. It was a delight, therefore, to direct my debut professional production at The Old Red Lion Theatre Pub in Angel. The show, an original piece called Marching on Together by Adam Hughes, explored the ramifications of football hooliganism on a community in Leeds during the 1980s. I relished the opportunity to direct a show that saw first-time theatregoers, many of them from Leeds and football fans themselves, flock to the small North London pub. Inspired by those audiences, I started to daydream about the possibilities of building a new theatre to house the ambitious shows and audiences that would often get crammed into pub theatres.
While my head swirled with these ideas, I met a producer on the Young Vic’s Springboard programme who shared my vision for opening a new theatre in the city. After meeting a property developer in Southwark, we pitched for a peppercorn lease on an abandoned underground car park in London Bridge. Much to our surprise, we were handed the keys to the space. Driven by sheer grit and determination, we set about transforming the subterranean venue. It was during this time that I first became aware of Theatres Trust, with its diligent team providing invaluable advice to enable us to convert our derelict space into a fully functioning 110-seat theatre, named The Bunker. In a few short years, The Bunker became known as an underground haven for emerging and established artists who wanted to do something a bit different. I, too, had done something a bit different from directing a theatrical production; I had directed the development of a whole new cultural space. Not only was that space a success, but I realised I truly loved the process of making it happen, and I was eager to do it again.
Joshua McTaggart on the BBC Breakfast sofa January 2025
Shortly after the Grenfell Tower fire in North Kensington shocked the world, I was appointed as CEO of the Chelsea Theatre on the World’s End estate, the UK’s only housing estate designed with a purpose-built theatre embedded at its centre. My focus at the Chelsea was to deliver a multimillion-pound refurbishment of this vital cultural asset, while continuing our support for a diverse community who were still processing the tragedy that had occurred in the north of the borough earlier that year. Over 18 months, we delivered a refurbished open plan cafe with five community studios on the ground floor alongside a state-of-the-art theatre on the first floor. When we re-opened the building in January 2020, the space embodied the coming together of community and culture in one unified space. But, as the date suggests, the Chelsea closed less than three months later, with the country going into lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
As theatres across the country pivoted their business models, I also took a step back to think about how I might move forward in this shifting landscape. Encouraged by a former trustee of the Chelsea, I was successful in a bid to become a cultural consultant for the Kenton Theatre, a Grade II listed building in Henley-on-Thames. From there, I went on to help with the operational reopening of Wilton’s Music Hall in Tower Hamlets, support the postpandemic recovery of Hoxton Hall in Hackney, and deliver refurbishment projects for the Roundhouse in Camden. Although each of these pieces of work was filled with excitement and intrigue, it was clear that the sector, and the world, had changed significantly since The Bunker had opened. Just as I had once daydreamed about how I might open a theatre in London, I now started to wonder how long-lasting change could be achieved for the sector.
This self-reflection led me to the conclusion that if I wanted to play a part in bringing about real change, I needed to understand how local government, and specifically local planning, impacted the hyper-local theatre landscape. With this focus in mind, I joined the London Borough of Lambeth’s Culture and Creative Economy Team, collaborating with the borough’s celebrated theatres, including the National Theatre, Southbank Centre, The Old Vic, Young Vic, Omnibus Theatre, Brixton House, and White Bear Theatre, to explore how local policy and decision making could best support these organisations navigate the ever-challenging climate of running a theatre building. Alongside this policy focus, I also immersed myself in how Lambeth’s theatres contributed to community cohesion, creative placemaking, and inclusive growth for the local economy. With this hyper-local insight into a theatre ecosystem, I became eager to work on a level that could have
a regional and national impact as well. It was that eagerness which ultimately drew me towards Theatres Trust and the opportunity to deliver nationwide impact.
As I now look back on the journey from my childhood puppet theatre to becoming the Director of Theatres Trust, it is indisputable that theatre buildings played an incredibly important role in my life. I have no doubt that theatres have been, and continue to be, significant in your lives too. I imagine your support for Theatres Trust is rooted in our shared belief that the art of theatre, and the theatres themselves, can radically change and improve the lives of everyone in this country. So, as I settle into my new role over the coming months, I am fully committed to keeping that shared belief at the front of my mind, so that together we can ensure theatres up and down this country can be fit for the future, no matter what unpredictable adventures are ahead of us.
The Roundhouse
Photo: Lloyd Winters
JM Puppet Theatre
2025 marks 40 years since Theatreplan first started helping clients create or reimagine amazing spaces for performance
As we reflect on our journey over those 40 years, we want to thank the fantastic clients we have worked with during that time, in the UK and around the world
Now we are looking to the future
Let us know how we might be able to help you too
King’s
King’s
Theatres at Risk
Removed from At Risk Register
New additions in 2025
Theatres at Risk
GREATER MANCHESTER
Theatre, Dundee
Theatre, Kirkcaldy
Leith Theatre
Winter Gardens, Morecambe
Winter Gardens Pavilion
Joe Longthorne Theatre, Blackpool
Burnley Empire Doncaster Grand
Spilsby Sessions House
Derby Hippodrome
Mechanics’ Institute, Swindon
Plymouth Palace
Theatre Ardudwy Harlech
Conwy Civic Hall Garston Empire
Brighton Hippodrome
Theatre Royal, Margate
Tameside Hippodrome Theatre Royal Hyde
Hulme Hippodrome Theatre Royal
Victoria Theatre
Tottenham Palace Theatre
Streatham Hill Theatre
Intimate Theatre
Groudlings Theatre Portsmouth
Garrick Theatre, Southport
Regent Theatre, Great Yarmouth Imperial Theatre, Walsall
The Brunton, Musselburgh Motherwell Concert Hall and Theatre
The Harlequin Theatre & Cinema, Redhill
Prince of Wales Theatre, Cannock
Winter Gardens, Morecambe
Winter Gardens Pavilion
Joe Longthorne Blackpool
Plymouth Palace
Theatre Ardudwy Harlech
Conwy Civic Hall Garston Empire
Garrick Theatre, Southport
Imperial Theatre, Walsall
Netherton Arts Centre Amulet Shepton
Globe Theatre
Epstein Theatre, Liverpool
Oswaldtwistle Arts Centre
Prince of Wales Theatre, Cannock
Theatres at Risk
Theatres at Risk Assessment Criteria
Theatres are assessed based on three criteria –Community Value, Star Rating and Risk Factor. Buildings are scored between 0 and 3 in each category, these are added together to give a total score. A minimum total score of 4 is needed to be included on the register and must not score zero in any category.
Where the total score is the same, Community Value is given precedence, followed by Star Rating, then Risk Factor. If all criteria scores are equal, the buildings are listed alphabetically.
The theatres at the top of the list are not necessarily most at risk but are those whose loss would be considered a greater tragedy because of their unique character and / or have a real opportunity to be used for live performances.
Community Value establishes the local support and demand for a theatre, including the viability of the building as a performance venue.
3 points: clear community demand and viability for the building to be used as a theatre
2 points: possibility and demand for returning the building to performance use, which could include community performances / music
1 point: potential for the building to be brought into use as a community facility with no/minimal community performance
Star Rating judges the building’s architectural quality, workability as a theatre, cultural and social heritage, and geographical uniqueness.
3 points: a very fine theatre of the highest quality
2 points: an excellent example of its type
1 point: a live performance venue that is of some interest or quality and has specific cultural and social value
Risk Factor assesses the level of threat to the building. This could be at risk of demolition, alteration to another use, local development adversely affecting the theatre, change of ownership, decay of the building, or capital/ revenue concerns
As we publish the 2025 Theatres at Risk Register, we look at the difficult landscape that has seen the list increase and slow progress with many existing Theatres at Risk.
The 2025 Theatres at Risk Register has expanded to 43 theatres, with five new additions, one theatre removed, and, with a few notable exceptions, little change in the status of the 38 theatres that remain on the list. Here we take a closer look at the challenges faced by theatre owners, campaign groups, and local authorities trying to save or revive their local theatres and how plans have had to meet new and evolving circumstances.
Pressure on local authority budgets
Noticeably, all five of the new additions to this year’s Theatres at Risk Register are local authority-owned venues. Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre and Theatre and Prince of Wales Theatre in Cannock are both at risk due to pressures on local authority budgets, which has led to cuts in subsidy for their operators and a lack of ability to invest in the buildings. These theatres are also within the mid to small scale range, with a capacity between 400 and 500. Outside of major cities, theatres of this scale are increasingly difficult to run without subsidy and are not attractive propositions to the main theatre operating groups. However, each of these theatres is the only venue in its locality and they are all much loved-community venues, as demonstrated by the outcries over their closures from their respective communities. The value of these theatres to their communities spreads beyond the building’s primary use, positively impacting on the local economy and people’s well-being, and making their localities great places to live, work and visit. Sadly, we are speaking with more and more theatres which are facing financial challenges and needing to find new operational models to survive. We are also advocating for their retention, and for the need for support to ensure viability, to often hard-pressed local authorities.
Several of the theatres already on the Theatres at Risk Register are under threat as local authorities divest themselves of assets to balance the books. This includes Borough Hall, Greenwich, which has now been sold to a developer who has recently announced aspirations to redevelop the building as a hotel, which is why we have increased its risk factor in our scoring. Similarly at Conwy Civic Hall, the council’s preferred developer is planning to redevelop the building as a food hall with short-stay accommodation.
Abbeydale Picture House
Photo: Andy Gallacher
Conwy County Borough Council’s Planning Committee voted to support the granting of planning permission, subject to a Section 106 agreement and other conditions, including retention of an area for live performance. However, the Section 106 agreement can only be signed once the applicant has formally acquired a legal interest in the land. Without these having been completed, a decision notice has yet to be issued, and the application could still be refused if this is not carried out in a timely manner.
However, the disposal of local authority assets does not have to be a negative. A Community Asset Transfer to a local group could be the answer to giving a Theatre at Risk a brighter future. This has been mooted for some time by Thurrock council for Thameside Theatre in Grays, Essex, although has yet to come to fruition.
‘Crumbling’ concrete
Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) is a lightweight form of precast concrete, frequently used in public sector buildings in the UK from the mid-1960s to circa the mid-1980s. Its limited durability had been known for a while, but it has only recently come to light that the issue is more serious than previously appreciated.
At this point last year, while RAAC, had been identified in 12 theatres (a total of 22 theatres have since confirmed RAAC is present), it was too early to say how much of an issue it was. Thankfully, most of the impacted theatres reopened soon after, or at least had in place plans to continue to engage with audiences in alternative venues. However, a subset of this year’s new additions are three theatres where the presence of RAAC panels is a major issue. When we first started to compile this year’s Theatres at Risk Register, we were considering The Brunton Theatre The Harlequin Theatre & Cinema and Motherwell Concert Hall and Theatre
for inclusion because they had not reopened more than a year after the concrete issue being identified. Since our discussions began, the results of investigations at all three buildings have come back with bad news about the extent of RAAC use, its poor condition and high costs for remedial work.
Musselburgh Council and North Lanarkshire Council (The Brunton and Motherwell respectively) have both proposed demolishing their theatres in light of the high costs, with Reigate and Banstead Borough Council yet to make a decision on The Harlequin. It leaves their communities without venues for an indefinite period of time and concerns about whether stretched council budgets could fund new or repurposed venues of a similar quality and scale.
Uncertainty of private ownership
Away from local authority-owned theatres, it has also been a challenging year for theatres in private ownership. Several of the theatres already on the Theatres at Risk Register have changed ownership or the current owner is looking to sell the site as they are unable to redevelop it for financial reasons. Doncaster Grand was sold at auction to a private bidder in July 2024, which was particularly concerning considering a consortium of key stakeholders had made good progress with a pathway to securing the future of the building in cultural use. The new owner has now joined the consortium and is working with the group to find a way forward for the building. Although this is at an early stage, the working relationship between stakeholders has been constructive. While Salford Victoria Theatre failed to sell at auction in December 2024, it is now clear that the owner’s imperative is to sell, rather than lease the building to community group Salford Victoria Theatre Trust. The group has been receiving support from our Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities programme, working on its governance and organisational resilience to be prepared
Salford Victoria Theatre
Photo: Theatres Trust
for a change of ownership and any opportunities that this may bring. While preparing this piece, news reached us that both Abbeydale Picture House in Sheffield and the Epstein Theatre in Liverpool, the two theatres we added to the register in 2024, have been sold. It is too soon to know what the new owners’ intentions are, but as always, we will reach out to offer our support and make the case for their return to live performance use.
While the Community Ownership Fund had provided a potential funding route for community groups looking to purchase their local Theatre at Risk, success is not always guaranteed. Ramsbottom Co-op Hall Heritage Trust Limited was awarded £296,000 through the Community Ownership Fund in December 2023. With our support, the group had been working to get its community share campaign to help match fund the purchase ready to go live, however, with the building now being marketed for sale with an asking price of offers over £595,000, the group has reached a critical point in their journey to acquire the building and are negotiating with the owner and seeking a deadline extension on its Community Ownership grant. The Groundlings Theatre in Portsmouth was in a similar situation last year when the building was sold at auction rather than to the charitable trust, Groundlings Theatre Trust, which had been awarded Community Ownership Funding to purchase the theatre. This has forced the group to pivot in its focus, look to build new relationships and work with the new owner towards
the restoration of the building. Theatres Trust has supported Groundlings Theatre Trust to adapt to this changing situation, awarding a grant to improve its community outreach programme and providing in-depth fundraising training.
Difficult funding landscape
While funding for theatre and heritage projects has never been easy, it has become increasingly difficult since the pandemic, exacerbating the challenges in restoring vulnerable theatres requiring large capital works projects. Theatre Royal Margate was unsuccessful in its recent bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Fortunately, Thanet Council has demonstrated its commitment to the project by increasing its allocation of Towns Fund monies by a further £2.8m, which will enable the work to proceed. The previous government’s Levelling Up agenda had provided some valuable funding streams for groups supporting Theatres at Risk. Uncertainty surrounding the continuation of these schemes and delays in confirming decisions on the last rounds of funding are impacting Theatres at Risk projects. Burnley Empire Trust had been ready to submit to the Community Ownership Fund to help purchase a building on the high street adjacent to Burnley Empire and its original foyer, which would help unlock an important means of access to the theatre and provide an added level of visibility to the venue. This project is now on hold, pending a decision on the continuation of the Community Ownership Fund scheme. The group supporting the Amulet Theatre in Shepton Mallet had been hoping to benefit from Levelling Up funding from the last round to help purchase the theatre. Although a decision has yet to be made, it is thought likely that the award will now be withdrawn. The preparatory work that the group carried out to support the Levelling Up application was partly funded by a grant from our Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities programme. This feasibility and business planning work means the group are well placed to pursue other funding options when they arise.
The Harlequin Theatre & Cinema
Photo: Theatres Trust
Southport Garrick
Photo: Ian Grundy
Groundlings Theatre
Photo: Ian Grundy
Glimmers of hope
It has not been the best year for Theatres at Risk, despite the best efforts of everyone involved, with five new additions to the list, planning decisions for Brighton Hippodrome, Conwy Civic, and Southport Garrick, meaning those buildings are unlikely to return to use as theatres, as well as the setbacks discussed above. However, returning a Theatre at Risk to community use is a long-term endeavour and there have been some positive stories. Burnley Empire Trust was successful in its bid for a small grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to train volunteers to deliver building tours and the group has seen more community interest than ever in the project. With funding support from a Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities grant, Leith Theatre is similarly keeping its story alive in the minds of its local community through an oral history project where memories of the theatre are being captured by audio data technology housed within the 1930s-style phone booths in the Crush Foyer.
To end on the biggest success story for the year, Morecambe Winter Gardens was awarded £2.74m in 2023 through the Cultural Development Fund for works to provide additional accommodation including a new toilet block, circulation and evacuation routes, as well as continued restoration work. The first phase of this project was completed in 2024 and a four-person project team has been appointed to lead the second phase of works as well as develop new audiences for the venue, engage volunteers, and improve the venue’s digital presence. While there is still some way to go until the Winter Gardens is fully restored and all areas reopened, this represents a significant amount of progress, so much so that we have lowered the theatre’s risk factor score. We continue to work with Morecambe Winter Gardens Preservation Trust and look forward to seeing what comes next for this wonderful building.
While this undoubtedly has been a challenging year for theatres on the Theatres at Risk Register, if there is one message to take from the above it is to be open to change - be agile and adaptive, and when faced with challenges to the path of travel, seek out and identify new opportunities and be willing to pivot to benefit from these new chances.
Full case studies for each theatre on the Theatres at Risk Register 2025 can be found on our website
Leith Theatre phone booth
Photo: Courtesy of Theatre
Morecambe Winter Gardens
Photo: Courtesy of Theatre
Changes to the Theatres at Risk Register
We’ve added five theatres to this year’s list, removed one and changed the score of seven theatres already on the list.
New additions
In a challenging year for local authority theatres, sadly five local-authority owned theatres met the criteria to be added to the Theatres at Risk Register. There is passionate local support for all of these theatres.
The Brunton Theatre in Musselburgh is a modernist, textured concrete and glass building which opened in 1971. It was the first theatre to close due to the presence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in March 2023. A detailed conditions report has indicated significant water ingress resulting in deterioration of some of the roof panels, posing an ongoing risk of failure. The council has considered a range of costed options for the building and has recommended the building is mothballed and, subject to community consultation, demolished.
The Harlequin Theatre & Cinema in Redhill, Surrey is a popular multipurpose theatre and arts venue located within the Warwick Quadrant Shopping Centre. It closed in September 2023 as
a precaution following the discovery of RAAC. A detailed inspection has now indicated that the Harlequin contains significant amounts of RAAC within both flat and pitched roofs and within the floor. All are considered high risk, and the panels will require replacement. The work required is complicated by the theatre’s location within a shopping centre and initial estimates put the cost of the work at around £10m.
Motherwell Concert Hall and Theatre in Lanarkshire forms part of Motherwell Civic Centre complex, a landmark grouping of Category B modernist public buildings. The venues closed in September 2023 due to the discovery of RAAC in the roof with a detailed survey finding that a significant proportion was affected. The council considered the costs to repair to be economically unviable and has approved a recommendation to demolish the buildings.
Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre and Theatre has been at the heart of its community for more than 150 years with many uses over that time. In 2010
it was refurbished and reopened as an arts centre and studio space on the ground floor with a 450-seat auditorium on the upper level. The theatre closed in July 2023 when the operator went into liquidation. The building operation reverted to Hyndburn Council, which has since commissioned extensive survey work to understand the condition of the building and what is required to bring it up to modern standards. It remains closed and requires significant investment to reopen.
The Prince of Wales Theatre in Cannock was built in 1984 as a replacement for the town’s previous theatre and is part of a large town centre complex. Cannock Chase Council has proposed permanently closing the theatre and also its museum at the end of April 2025 to make budgetary savings. This is huge change in circumstances for the theatre, which was going to be refurbished as part of a Levelling Up project.
The Brunton Theatre
Photo: Ian Grundy
Removal from the list
Theatre Royal Hyde is a Grade II listed Edwardian theatre that has been on the Theatres at Risk Register since it began in 2006. The theatre was closed as a cinema in 1992 and then threatened with demolition for a housing development but was saved by spot-listing in 2000. The building was purchased by the Hyde Islamic Resource Centre in November 2016, who have been granted listed building consent to carry out various works including roof repairs and alterations to facilitate its use as a cultural centre. The nature of these works would not prevent the building from being returned to performance use if the demand for this arose and with the building being in regular use as a cultural centre means that the threat of harm to the building has reduced to the extent where we can remove it from the Theatres at Risk Register.
Score changes
With our scoring system of each criteria being ranked 1 to 3, there does need to be a major change in either thess progress being made or the level of threat to a theatre for the scores to change.
Unfortunately, this year we have increased the risk on four theatres; Borough Hall in Greenwich due to its new owner expressing a desire to redevelop it for hotel use, King’s Theatre in Kirkcaldy and Netherton Arts Centre as the community groups looking to revive the theatres pull away, and the Epstein Theatre in recognition that the
longer it is left empty and without an operator, the harder it will be to return it to use.
We’ve downgraded both the risk factor and community value on Brighton Hippodrome in recognition of the structural repair work that that the owner has carried out on one hand, but on the other, the approval of the planning application to convert it to a multipurpose venue, meaning full-scale theatre will not be able to return to it. Similarly, the community value for The Roundhouse in Dover has been reduced as there are plans for the building to be returned to community use, but not as a theatre.
We are delighted to say that we have been able to reduce the risk factor for Morecambe Winter Gardens following the remarkable progress being made with its restoration over recent years. There is still work to be done before it can be removed from the Theatres at Risk Register, but all signs are that it is heading the right direction.
Oswaldtwistle Civic
Photo: Ian Grundy
Theatre Royal Hyde
Photo: Theatres Trust
Showcase
Bradford Live
Architect Tim Ronalds lays out the journey of former Theatre at Risk Bradford Odeon, unveiling its ten year restoration and redevelopment project to reopen as Bradford Live.
In 1930 a giant cinema theatre opened in the centre of Bradford. Named The New Victoria it seated 3318, one of the largest ever built in the UK. Its fan shaped auditorium had enormous stalls with two curved circle tiers behind. The focus was an ornate proscenium framing a good size stage or screen.
The interior style was neo-classical, with a vast shallow dome crowning the epic space. A grand ballroom, restaurant, function rooms and foyers were clustered around the front of house. The New Victoria must have been the pride of the city. Its programme alternated stage shows and the silver screen. The Beatles performed here in 1963 and 1964.
But times and appetites changed and in 1968 the Rank Organisation acquired the New Victoria and brutally converted it into three cinemas and a bingo hall. Renamed the Bradford Odeon, it closed in 2000. The building
then stood empty, and the site was destined for redevelopment for offices.
The Bradford Odeon Rescue Group (BORG) campaigned to save the building and their movement gathered strength, including coming to the attention of Theatres Trust, who added it to the Theatres at Risk Register in 2007 and buying time before the 2008 recession finally killed off redevelopment plans. Bradford City Council then acquired the site and organised a competition to find a future for the building. Lee Craven, a Bradfordborn textile manufacturer, had the idea of turning the theatre into a music venue and devised a bid under the name ‘Bradford Live’. He envisaged that the funding would come from a combination of public sources and the capitalised value of a long lease to a commercial operator. Lee and Bradford Live had no financial interest in the project, they saw their role as being solely enablers, their motive being to help regenerate Bradford.
The Auditorium and Stage, the Stalls cleared for a standing audience.
Photo: David Oxtaby
Showcase
Lee Craven, researching theatre seating, came across theatre consultants Carr & Angier’s website. Peter Angier offered advice and encouragement and introduced Lee to us, Tim Ronalds Architects, who Peter had worked with on the redevelopment of Hackney Empire and Wilton’s Music Hall. We collaborated on a scheme and a business plan for the theatre which won the City Council’s competition and in late 2014 Bradford Live were granted the right to redevelop the building.
The design and operational plan was developed during 2015-2017, Tim Ronalds Architects working with Carr & Angier, structural engineers Price & Myers and services engineers E3 and Gillieron Scott acoustic consultants. Our understanding of the condition of the building was limited at that time because Rank, in their conversion, had in effect built another building inside the auditorium, and we were unable to see how much of the original was left, or fully assess the condition of the structure. Funding to demolish the Rank structures was not available until 2019, when it was at last possible to see what had survived. In the auditorium only a few fragments of the plaster were left, more remained in the ballroom and other ancillary spaces, but the damage resulting from years of water penetration, corrosion and dry rot was extensive.
The Houses & Communities Agency had provided emergency funding to prevent further deterioration of the building. The Department of Culture, Media & Sport provided an initial lump sum of £4 million from their Great Exhibition of the North Legacy Fund, the Heritage Lottery Fund £2 million and a private charity £0.25 million. The majority of the funding came from Bradford Council who staunchly supported the project from start to finish.
A contract to operate the venue on a 30year lease was awarded to NEC who run the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre and
other venues and they became involved in the detailed brief for the project.
But with the public funding came an obligation to competitively re-tender the design team contracts through OJEU processes and Tim Ronalds Architects lost the project to Aedas in 2018. We were bitterly disappointed.
Four years later, in September 2022 Lee Craven rang with the news that Aedas UK were about to go into liquidation – would we consider returning to help complete the project? What we found was, whilst the essential form of our scheme remained the same, Aedas had proposed a variety of interior designs, the final version being in a faux-art deco style. We agreed to return but asked that we be allowed to change the interior design.
Progress had been slow, partly because the concrete floors of the original structure were found to be defective and had to be replaced. The project was behind programme and the cost was mounting. It took our Project Director and Project Architect, Adam Goodfellow and Kathleen Jenkins, two years of dedicated work to put the project back on track and see it successfully completed.
The Ballroom- its original plaster interior and decor restored.
Photo: : David Oxtaby
The dilapidated Ballroom and Bar, 2019.
Photo: Tim Ronalds Architects
Our design approach
At the outset we imagined our approach would be similar to that we developed at Wilton’s Music Hall. There we were captivated by the atmosphere of a near derelict Grade II* listed building and our approach was to try and preserve the found state of the building, and with it its story and its atmosphere. The outcome was a combination of preserved decorative elements and bare structure. We thought that Bradford might lend itself to a similar approach but on a much larger scale.
What survived at Bradford was essentially the structural shell of the original theatre - a beautifully engineered structure with fifty metre girders spanning between the brick walls of the auditorium, with a cobweb of radial steel forming the central dome. Around the theatre was a set of smaller spaces with beautiful but dilapidated fibrous plaster interiors. We were entranced by the atmospheric interiors of the surviving theatre spaces
- part 1930s refinement, part brash 60s ‘moderne’ but in the end the Wilton’s approach proved not to be possible. The condition of many of the surviving elements was beyond repair. The responsibilities in a 4000 capacity multi use venue for safety were unavoidableeverything had to be robust and fireproof. The budget could not afford the kind of conservation work that would be required.
So, at Bradford the outcome is a different combination of old and new. The white faience on the outside and the two domed towers are well restored. There is a giant digital screen facing the Square which will bring life to the City Centre and income to the venue. Inside the beautifully engineered brick and steel structure of Illingworth’s 1930 theatre is exposed. The fibrous plaster interiors of the main ancillary spaces have been restored with the help of specific Heritage Lottery Funding, but the paint schemes are new and vibrant. The look and spirit of Bradford Live is a combination of new and old.
Showcase
Showcase
To describe what has been created more specifically:
Bradford Live is a mid-sized multi-use venue with a fully seated capacity of 3000 and around 4000 with stalls standing. It will host a wide range of performances and events but primarily music. Audience ages will range from 9 – 90. There are no other similar sized venues in the Yorkshire region other than Hull Arena which opened a few years ago. Within Bradford the venue complements rather than competes with St George’s Hall (around 1400 capacity) and the Alhambra Theatre (around 1500 capacity).
Alongside the main auditorium are two smaller performance spaces: the magnificent ballroom with a capacity of around 790 and the cabaret bar for 975. Plus four smaller function rooms in the two towers. The spaces are connected by spacious crescent shaped foyers at stalls and circle level. This range of spaces, of different sizes and character will enable the building to be in use more continuously. It is essentially a touring venue with a large backstage yard and good get-in facilities. The Stage is 21m wide x 10m deep x 14m high with a proscenium width of 15m. The stalls seating can be rapidly installed or removed by forklift truck to a backstage.
The fan shaped auditorium and the curved rear circle tiers give the space an extraordinary focus. Sound will generally be amplified, and the performance spaces have now a high level of sound proofing. The main auditorium has been treated to provide a reverberation time that will suit a range of performances and events. The performance lighting and sound systems are part of the operator fit out and are yet to be installed. The building is planned so that simultaneous separate events can take place, but the maximum total capacity is 4000.
For various reasons the building project took longer and cost more than initially envisaged. The final cost of the project was just over £50 million. It was funded by a mixture of loans and grants, the majority of funding from Bradford Council. The project has taken 13 years to complete and involved many challenges. Apart from the condition of the existing building, challenges included lockdown in 2020 which severely restricted access to the building and the supply chain chaos that followed and led to rapid inflation in the prices of all building materials, particularly of steel. This inflationary environment was further exacerbated by the Russia/ Ukraine war in 2022.
Exterior of New Victoria in 1930, shortly before completion.
Photo:
David Oxtaby
The final challenge came in 2024 when the NEC Group departed the project, after reaching a settlement with Bradford Live. A new operator is currently being sought and there is a firm hope that Bradford Live will open as a flagship venue during Bradford’s 2025 City of Culture celebrations.
Stakeholder reaction has so far been limited because the building is not yet open to the public. But those who have been inside are reported to have been blown away.
While not yet open to the public, the initial reaction of those who have been inside is that they have been blown away and we are looking forward to welcoming stakeholders and the public to the building as soon as possible. Lee Craven commissioned a short film with the radio presenter and music journalist, Andy Kershaw. In the film he describes the building as a ‘world class venue’ adding that ‘everybody who is anybody will want to play here’.
We asked Lee Craven for his final thoughts on the project and the future of the venue. ’I am relieved and very happy with the final outcome. There is nothing of significance that I would change. It is everything I hoped it would be and feel we and the team have done justice to one of the country’s great buildings. And I’m very pleased that Tim Ronalds Architects could complete the vision they had back in 2011.’
Bradford Live is an epic achievement. The project has involved great commitment and stamina from all involved – Bradford Council (who have not wavered in their support), the design team, the contractor Woolers and all those who worked enthusiastically on the project but, most of all, from Lee Craven, Kirsten Branston and Chris Morrell who created Bradford Live.
Bradford Live embraces one side of the city centre space and faces the town hall and City Park. It will we hope become as famous a venue as it was when it was first opened; now adapted to the new needs of a regenerating City and the wider region.
Showcase
The First Floor Foyer and bar under the raking Lower Circle structure.
Photo:
The Lower and Upper circle tiers with survival fragments of original plaster. The Stalls floor cleared for a standing audience.
Photo: David Oxtaby
Project Data
Client
Bradford LiveLee Craven (2011 to present)
Kirsten Branston (2014 to present)
Chris Morrell (2014 to present)
Bradford Metropolitan District CouncilChristophe Hamard
Main Contractor
R N Wooler
Architect
Tim Ronalds Architects (RIBA Stage 1-3, 5-7)
Aedas (RIBA stage 3-4)
Theatre Consultant
Theatreplan (RIBA Stage 5-7)
Carr & Angier (RIBA Stage 1-5)
M&E consultants
Buro Happold
Structural Engineers
Price & Myers
Quantity Surveying and Project Management
Turner & Townsend
Fire consultants
Innovation
Acoustics
GSA (Gillieron Scott Acoustics)
Showcase
Bradford Live North Turret shortly before completion.
Photo: David Oxtaby.
The Ballroom Bar in the North Turret- the fibrous plaster ceiling restored.
Photo: David Oxtaby
LSO ST LUKE’S London Opening Autumn 2025
Image Levitt Bernstein
Keep up-to-date with our planning news and casework by signing up to our mailing list on our website: theatrestrust.org.uk/newsletter
Our Work
We provide advice on the planning and development of theatres.
New theatres and major developments
Theatres Trust actively supports theatre owners and operators who plan positively for cultural use and much of our advice is around ensuring proposals for theatres offer the most viable solution. Cultural facilities are increasingly recognised as vital for arresting decline and encouraging activity within town centres because they generate footfall and spending in other businesses.
Plans have been approved to improve the visibility, connectivity and accessibility of the Category A listed Palace Theatre in Kilmarnock (24/0426/PP & 24/0428/LB), a former corn exchange built in 1863. The Palace is on a constrained site between Kilmarnock Water and the A735, which
severed it from the town centre. Currently there is limited front-of-house space and sub-optimal accessibility. We supported plans seeking to address these challenges through the addition of a ‘wrap-around’ front of house extension and creation of a single, accessible point of entry. This will be achieved through the removal and infilling of the underpass outside and complemented by wider highway and public realm improvements, providing better connectivity with the rest of the town centre. We also welcomed the inclusion of a café/bar, lift access, Changing Places facility, and illuminated signing. Issues caused by level changes in later additions to the rear of the theatre will be resolved through demolition and replacement with a single structure, improving accessibility as well as giving a replacement workshop and refurbished dressing rooms.
The Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock
Photo: Ian Rainey
Planning permission has been sought for the expansion of Malvern Theatres (M/24/01203/ FUL) to provide an additional 250-seat studio theatre and flexible studio spaces. The plans propose replacing an existing dressing room block, alteration of back of house and getin arrangements, and creation of an external amphitheatre for outdoor performances. Overall, we supported the scheme but suggested that proposed accessibility improvements, including level access to the stage in the Forum Theatre and lift access to the upper level and terrace at the Priory Park entrance, could provide further benefit if the lift were installed externally. This would provide a more direct and inclusive route than the one put forward.
Refurbishment, restoration and sustainability
Theatres Trust encourages theatre owners and operators to invest in their buildings to meet the needs and expectations of modern users and improve accessibility and sustainability to increase their viability and social value.
We were consulted on plans to improve accessibility and facilities at Ipswich Regent Theatre (24/00582/FPI3). The Grade II listed
Regent opened in 1929 as a cine-variety theatre and is the largest theatre in East Anglia. In 1991, the building was acquired by Ipswich Borough Council who reinstated full live performance use. Plans for a side extension to install a new WC block, which in turn enables the removal of existing WCs to reveal the full volume and significance of the foyer and crush halls were supported. To the opposite side, a further small extension will introduce lift access to the main foyer and Circle level. A more sensitive heritage-inspired canopy will also be installed. We welcomed the proposal of an upgraded glazed entrance to the current accessible entry point, alongside internal redecoration, which will provide a more welcoming experience. Overall, there will be a much-needed increase in WCs and addition of a Changing Places facility. Additional listed building consent (24/00583/LBC) covering further internal alterations, including refurbishment of the foyer and crush hall with restoration of ceiling and plasterwork and new bars, and refurbishment of the Circle Lounge was also supported.
In Barnard Castle, we were made aware of plans at The Witham (DM/24/02182/FPA & DM/24/01658/LB) which is seeking to undertake alterations, some of which will benefit its environmental sustainability and accessibility. The Grade II listed Witham arts centre operates within the former Witham Testimonial Hall and Dispensary which was built in 1845 and later extended at the rear to incorporate a former mechanics hall. Proposed plans include the replacement of doors at front entrance with automated, glazed doors to improve visibility and accessibility to the building. The addition of three digital display screens, promoting upcoming events will further welcome and encourage visitors to the centre, and works to the external garden area will complement the venue’s social and community value. We are supportive of The Witham’s plans along with its proposal to install solar panels to the roof, which will enhance its environmental sustainability and reduce its operating costs.
Malvern Theatres from Priory Park
Regent Theatre, Ipswich
Photo: Ian Grundy
The Witham, Barnard Castle
Described in our database as “One of the most important surviving examples of Georgian theatre architecture”, the Grade II* listed Theatre Royal Bath opened in 1805. Previous developments have seen the addition of the Ustinov Studio theatre and ‘The Egg’ children’s theatre. It now seeks to add further studio space along with a ground floor bar (24/03020/LBA).
We supported plans proposing the conversion of two adjoining Grade II listed, late eighteenthcentury houses within the theatre’s control, from a members’ bar and back of house function, to a flexible rehearsal and performance space. Externally we supported alterations to stairs and windows, along with installation of new plant machinery; however, we have suggested that the proposed signage and prominence of the new space is understated compared to ‘The Egg’ and other surrounding businesses and that this aspect may be worth revisiting. As with many older theatres, the Theatre Royal has a lack of toilets so we also supported listed building consent (24/03016/LBA) for the provision of 11, much-needed additional WCs.
In Worthing, we supported an application for Listed Building Consent (AWDM/1173/24) to undertake accessibility improvements through alteration within the stalls at the Pavilion Theatre. Built in 1926, The Pavilion Theatre is one of very few remaining pier theatres in the UK and part of the Grade II listing of the 19th century pier on which it sits. Currently wheelchair access within the stalls is inadequate. The plan proposes to address this with the insertion of a ramp to the front right-hand corner of the auditorium, a design that minimises harm to historic fabric and plan form while improving accessibility.
Due to the presence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) within Peterborough’s Key Theatre roof, the venue was closed in September 2023. Swift works were undertaken to provide a temporary solution, allowing the theatre to reopen for its Christmas pantomime and enabling audiences to continue to visit in 2024. It now seeks to provide a permanent solution and an application for planning permission (24/01095/R3FUL) has been
submitted proposing works to remove the remaining RAAC from the main auditorium roof. Plans also include installation of a new lightweight metal profile deck, solar PV panels and high performance felt to the flat roof, along with artificial slates clad to pitched areas. This will further benefit the theatre by enhancing the building’s insulation, efficiency, and sustainability.
Seeking to improve its environmental sustainability, The Watermill Theatre in Newbury has submitted plans to instal six electric charging points for staff and visitors in its carpark (24/01273/FUL). Originally a corn mill beside the River Lambourn dating back to 1830, this derelict watermill was Grade II listed and converted into a repertory theatre in 1967 retaining many of its original architectural features, including its iron bound undershot waterwheel which is viewed through a screen on entry to the auditorium. The building’s rural location means that many of its audience, performers and staff travel to it by private vehicle. Theatres Trust welcomed and supported the proposal as it will help promote more sustainable travel options and the reduction of carbon emissions.
There was good news at the community-run Brixham Theatre, following our objection to plans (P/2024/0399 & P/2024/0400) submitted by the Brixham Town Council run Town Hall complex, of which the theatre is a tenant. Built in 1886, The Grade II Town Hall complex is a multifunction facility that includes a market, a charity shop and office, function rooms and the Brixham Theatre. The theatre currently benefits from prominent external signage and all reference to it, including a poster board advertising shows, was to be removed under the proposal. As a venue within a popular tourist destination its signage is vital in generating awareness of its presence and offer. We therefore suggested a compromise whereby the town council could achieve its objective of better showcasing the Town Hall’s facilities while maintaining the theatre’s prominence. Revised plans were subsequently submitted in line with our recommendations.
Theatre Royal Bath
Pavilion Theatre, Worthing
Developments affecting theatre buildings
Theatres Trust is also consulted on works to former theatre buildings, and we welcome proposals that retain significant architectural features or allow for a return to public use, or live performance. We also comment on developments adjacent to or adjoining theatre buildings where there is potential impact to the theatre.
Built in 1933, London’s Grade II listed Troxy was designed by renowned architect George Coles and incorporates the Brewery Tap pub, which occupies a corner of the site. Originally opened as a cinema and a theatre, it seated around 3,520, making it one of the largest theatres in the UK at that time. We were actively engaged by the applicant during the pre-application process and subsequent plans (PA/24/01316/ A1 & PA/24/01317/A1) have been submitted which include the demolition of the current back of house extension and construction of an adjoining seven-storey building, to be used for short-stay accommodation. External repairs and restorations are to be undertaken, including installation of solar PV panels, benefiting the building’s sustainability. Internally, the foyer is to be altered to reinstate original height and mezzanine area, and installation of a lift in an existing light well will make upper levels accessible, enhancing the venue’s inclusivity. Additionally, the ground floor pub area of the Brewery Tap is to be brought back to use as a café and community venue under the Troxy’s control. In the back-of-house extension, we welcomed the provision of an accessible dressing room but have raised some suggestions to enhance dressing room locations and efficiency. We put forward that a reduction in the number of proposed short-stay suites could provide a more coherent dressing room block, or that the addition of one extra storey could enable further improvements to back of house facilities. Overall, we welcome and support these plans for the Troxy which will help reinforce its cultural role, enable it to host a broader range of productions and events, and further reinstate historic features and function.
We strongly objected to plans impacting Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury (24/03384/ FUL). Built in 2006, Theatre Severn consists of a main auditorium, a smaller auditorium, dance studio and hospitality spaces. The proposed development site is directly adjacent to the theatre and is currently vacant, previously being in commercial use. The plans propose residential conversion with a ground-level restaurant. Development of this nature greatly concerns Theatres Trust as noise complaints can and have resulted in uncertainty and harmful restrictions being imposed on theatres. One apartment is of significant concern due to its proximity to the theatre’s ‘get-in’ and service access. Managing this for future residents through restrictions on hours of work would mean Theatre Severn being unable to accept the touring shows that currently make up much of its programme and cause significant harm to the venue’s reputation and viability. We suggested removal of this apartment, instead giving this space over to the proposed bar/restaurant instead. Further concerns regarding proximity of the development to the fly tower means there is also potential for bleed of noise and vibrations from performances and rehearsals. A Noise Impact Assessment Report ignored the theatre’s operational noise rendering it flawed. Should these plans progress, we have urged a fresh acoustic survey be undertaken, coordinated with Theatre Severn to ensure it fully captures its various types of activity. Policy at national level supports and protects facilities such as theatres and states that development should be refused where acceptable living conditions cannot be reached. If permission were to be granted, we have suggested robust conditions requiring approval of sufficient acoustic and design protections, and that the applicant or future developer must be responsible for any costs arising to the application site or to the theatre. We also urged inclusion of a planning condition requiring submission of a construction management plan agreed with the theatre. This would prevent intrusive works taking place during normal performance times ensuring shows are not negatively impacted.
The Troxy
Photo: Alexander Baxevanis
Theatre Severn Shrewsbury.
Photo: Rept0n1x
Photo: Gerald England
Facing a similar issue is Hyde Festival Theatre for which we were made aware of plans seeking residential use within a building directly adjacent to its rear (24/00907/FUL). Also situated next door is Masjid at Tawheed, a place of worship housed within the former Theatre Royal. Plans relate to part of a building that has previously been used as an office located at ground floor level and propose a bedroom to the rear of the building, just a few metres from the back of the respective theatres. Our position in these situations is to object to such development unless sufficient mitigations are put robustly in place which extinguish all reasonable doubt that existing venues may be affected and that living conditions would not be compromised, and therefore many of the points made above in relation to plans at Theatre Severn can be applied here too. In this case no acoustic/noise impact assessment has been undertaken and we have suggested that this would be highly beneficial. We have recommended that this work is undertaken in cooperation with Hyde Festival Theatre and the neighbouring Masjid so that it can measure general and ‘worst-case’ scenarios, for example the loudest of live music shows and events with significant bass. This would guide what mitigations are necessary, if indeed the development can acceptably proceed at all.
We submitted representations in support of maintaining refusal of retrospective applications for two new apartments built without planning permission below the Abbey Theatre in Arbroath. These were considered under a system in Scotland whereby decisions can be referred to a panel of the local authority’s elected members for review, rather than through a full government appeal service. Full planning permission for conversion of this space was originally refused following strong objections from Theatres Trust, the Abbey Theatre and the Angus Council’s environmental health department in around 2020/21. The applicant went ahead and carried out the conversion regardless and had the new apartments occupied with tenants. The retrospective applications were similarly refused, and again we strongly objected. The two newest appeals have again now been dismissed and the original decision upheld. This means the developer must reverse the work they have undertaken, and that residential use must be ceased, giving the theatre reassurance that they can continue their activities without risk of complaint or restriction.
We have been notified of plans for the former Regent Theatre in Deal (24/00817). The Regent opened in 1928 as the Pavilion Theatre and was re-designed internally and converted into a cinema which opened in 1933. It has been vacant since 2009 but there has been realistic interest in reinstating cinema use, something the town is currently without. This proposal would see demolition of the current building with a replacement residential building and small cinema with a replica frontage. While we supported a previous scheme re-using the scale and volume of the original building, along with what we considered to be a sensitive extension to provide a meaningful cinema offer, we objected to these plans on the basis there was no evidence the building is surplus to requirements for cultural or community use, and that the viability of the proposed cinema was questionable given its small size. This concern was shared by the Cinema Theatre Association and there has been much objection by the community and local heritage groups.
In 2021 we responded to plans for change of use for a community building in Falmouth last used as a theatre by the Falmouth Theatre Company These plans proposed residential use for the upper level of the building while retaining the ground level spaces for community use. We supported the plans at that time on the basis that we accepted the condition of the building meant that investment was needed that could not have been met by the previous community theatre company, and that residential use to the upper level would enable the community function below to be maintained. In contrast to previous plans, the new planning permission application (PA24/04031) proposes a single dwelling and would result in the complete loss of a theatre and community facility. We were therefore unable to offer continued support and raised an objection.
Contact us if you are planning a capital project or want advice and guidance on maintaining your theatre building: advice@theatrestrust.org.uk
Hyde Festival Theatre (with Theatre Royal)
Regent Cinema, Deal
Photo: Jim Osley
Book Review
Ale House - Playhouse - Picture House: The
Authorised History of the Savoy Theatre Monmouth
Juliette Cook
Reviewed by Justine Harvey, Head of Communications and Marketing, Theatres Trust
The book can be purchased directly from Monmouth Savoy, priced £22.50 (+ £4 postage and packaging)
monmouth-savoy.co.uk/about/products/
The preface to this book begins with the surprising assertion that the information on the blue plaque outside the theatre is incorrect. The plaque reads “The Savoy Theatre occupies what has been called the oldest theatre site in Wales, dating back to Elizabethan times”, but author Juliette Cook has found no evidence to support this claim. Her impulse to “put the record straight” became a compulsion that led to this book. As a volunteer and then staff member at the Savoy, she had extensive access to the theatre building and the people who know and love it. Coupled with research skills and supported by a Society of Theatre Research Award, this has enabled Cook to produce a fascinating and meticulously researched history of the venue we now know as the Savoy.
The book’s title gives a large clue as to what Cook has unearthed in her research – a site that, over its history, has been used as a public house, a theatre and a cinema. Following a chronological path through its story, the book is broken down into five chapters – pre-history to Priory; 17th to 18th century Ale House; 19th century Playhouse; 20th century Picture House and 21st century Bust to the Savoy Trust.
As wide-ranging as this seems, this is still a simplification of both the theatre’s history and the book’s scope. It would perhaps be more accurate to describe the book as a history of Monmouth with the Savoy (in its various guises) as an ever-present character. As the Blew Bell Inn, it is there when a notorious murderer is marched through the town, and later it provides a meeting place for radical politicians. It is used as a corn exchange and temperance hotel, then converted into an ice rink, before becoming a cine-variety theatre. As well as cataloguing how the building has changed over time, there is also much to enjoy here on the evolution of entertainment, from strolling players to fit-up’ and portable theatres to cinemas, as well as details of the other Monmouth theatres that have come and gone.
The book brings the theatre’s history right up to date through the many difficulties and changes in management it has survived to become the treasured local theatre and cinema it is today. While its origins as a theatre may not go as far back as originally thought, the Savoy is nonetheless an important place in the history of Monmouth and this book is worth a read for anyone with an interest in theatre and cinema.
Looking forward to a fantastic year of theatre in 2025
