Local authorities

A theatre in Surrey that closed for safety reasons in 2023 is to remain shut with no current plans to reopen.

The Harlequin Theatre and Cinema in Redhill closed its doors last September due to the presence of RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete).

At a recent meeting of the Reigate and Banstead Borough Council executive, plans for the theatre to remain closed for the forseeable future were approved, with no alternative venue proposed.

The council has also agreed a reduction in theatre personnel to "a core team of two to three staff".

The remaining staff will be tasked with developing a business case "for a medium-term cultural offering for the borough".

Council Leader Richard Biggs said that despite the decision, the council's "commitment to the arts is not in question".

He continued: "We did not anticipate being in this situation. Since the building’s closure, officers have been working closely with external partners to establish the implications of RAAC and respective responsibilities, as well as working innovatively to ensure that some arts activities could continue, albeit not in the usual way.

"This decision recognises the need to use public money appropriately and therefore focus on developing sustainable plans for a future cultural offering while the Harlequin building remains closed."

A bid to keep a 450-seat venue in Hampshire that was operated without planning permission has been turned down.

The BBC reports that the Arden venue was constructed behind the existing Titchfield Festival Theatre in St Margaret's Lane, Titchfield, on land purchased in 2021.

Fareham Borough Council issued a Planning Enforcement Notice in November because the building only had consent to be used for storage.

The theatre appealed against that decision but the case was rejected by the Planning Inspectorate.

Titchfield Festival Theatre has now been told it has to stop using the venue for performances by 12 October and remove the stage and seating within seven months.

Ian Bastable, Vice chairman of the planning committee at Fareham Borough Council, said: "I am pleased to see the Planning Enforcement Notice has been upheld and the appeal dismissed.

"It seems extraordinary that, despite concerns raised by the council in connection with creating a large theatre here, the works still went ahead."

It could take up to five years to establish a new permanent home for Buxton Museum and Art Gallery, Derbyshire County Council has said.

The Buxton Advertiser reports that the museum was temporarily closed in June 2023 after dry rot was discovered in the building.

The council says the building is no longer viable due to the potential costs and length of time needed for us to bring it back into use as a modern-day museum and is putting it up for sale.

A spokesperson for Derbyshire County Council said: “We’re determined to see the collections displayed locally as soon as possible.

“Three to five years is the time we believe it could take to establish a new permanent home for Buxton Museum and Art Gallery and so plans are currently being developed for a museum service to be offered at alternative locations until a permanent home is found.”

“We can’t make any decisions about exactly how the temporary service will operate until a suitable building is secured, but potentially it could include a small temporary museum in the town as well as additional ‘pop-up’ displays at other venues."
 

Oldham Council has been awarded £564,375 by the Arts Council England to pay for improvements to a building that houses Gallery Oldham and the town's central library.

The Saddleworth Independent reports that the local authority will use the money to “improve the experience for visitors” and “upgrade systems” to “minimise future maintenance and repair costs”.

Gallery Oldham’s infrastructure and environmental performance will be improved through the £287,375 from ACE's the Museum Estate and Development Fund.

While the layout of the library and what it offers visitors will be enhanced by the £277,000 awarded from ACE's Library Improvement Fund.

Peter Dean, Cabinet Member for Thriving Communities and Culture at Oldham Council, said: “Gallery Oldham and central library are two of our most important cultural buildings when it comes to visitor numbers.

“It’s really good news that we’ve received this funding to make sure they are user-friendly and fit for purpose for years to come.”

Work on the improvements is expected to begin later this year.
 

Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club (BGWMC) has been designated an Asset of Community Value by Tower Hamlets Council, granting locals a 'right to bid' if the building goes up for sale.

The LGBTQ+ performance space has been at risk of closure after its owners revealed plans to sell the club as soon as possible and asked the venue's programming team to vacate the premises in July.

The council’s decision comes in response to an application made by community group Friends of Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club and grants them up to six months to fundraise for a bid.  

The performers' union Equity, which supported the application, said it is currently negotiating with the owners of BGWMC, who have expressed a willingness to allow a community purchase, to extend the fundraising period.

Nick Keegan, Equity Variety Organiser, says:  “The decision to protect Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club as an Asset of Community Value is fantastic news and a crucial step towards saving the club.

"The London Borough of Tower Hamlets has rightly recognised BGWMC for what it is – a pillar of London’s nightlife ecosystem, a vital workplace for Equity members, and an important part of the queer and local community.  

“The response to this campaign so far has been phenomenal. Everyone who signed the petition, turned up to the rally or spread the word has played their part in this positive outcome. However, the campaign has not been won yet – raising the funds to purchase BGWMC for the community will be a mammoth task.”

Bromley Council has authorised proposals to provide a "fully provisioned" replacement for Churchill Theatre after rumours were growing that the site was being "flogged".

Following concerns that the theatre’s 1970s structure was “beyond economic repair”, the council announced plans to update it in October 2023, with an estimated costs of up to £28m.

Initially, the council intended to transfer the freehold of the building to Trafalgar Group, which has been managing the theatre since 2017. However, the authority revealed in March it would be opening it up to bids from private developers and later listed the freehold on Rightmove for unconditional offers.

Speaking at a meeting, Council Leader Colin Smith said that despite “rumours being spread by unknown third parties” of “flogging” the building, there has to be a theatre on the site that must be “fully provisioned” operating to the existing standards of the Churchill. 

He added that while he hoped Trafalgar would still win the bid, there was a duty of care to ensure they “raise as much revenue as possible for the council’s taxpayers”.

Concerned the sale may lead to a change of use, the Liberal Democrat group started a petition to guarantee the site remains a theatre following its redevelopment, which has received over 5,600 signatures.

In response to Smith's statement, Liberal Democrat Councillor Julie Ireland said: “The thing that we hear most about from people, and we get emails all the time, is that they feel they have been left in the dark.

"To hear your reassurance today that there will be a theatre on that site of the same size and capacity will mean a huge amount to people who have come out and signed in their thousands the petition to save the theatre.”
 

Green space in Solihull will be used to stage more than 40 free cultural events this summer, the town's council has said.

The Birmingham Mail reports that 'Fresh Air Theatre', an extensive cultural programme from Solihull Culture, is supported by funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Commonwealth Games Legacy Fund. 

It will feature performances from world-class theatre, dance, music and physical theatre companies.