‘Last act’ fears for historic theatres in region

The Theatres Trust warned yesterday that the Grade II listed Doncaster Grand Theatre and the Scarborough Futurist theatre could fall into dereliction and be demolished, unless the owners “recognise they are responsible for community assets and work with trusts and local communities to secure their future”.

Built in 1899, the Grand Theatre in Doncaster stopped hosting stage productions in 1961 and then became a bingo hall until, in 1995, it closed altogether.

It has been saved from demolition due to the work of groups including the Doncaster Civic Trust, which succeeded in gaining the building a Grade II listing.

Meanwhile, the Futurist Theatre in Scarborough, which dates back to 1903, is still open for business and is welcoming shows this year from performers including Ken Dodd, the Chuckle Brothers and Cannon and Ball.

However, its long-term future is in grave doubt after consultants claimed it would be “commercial suicide” to keep the theatre, which is on a site that could be used for redevelopment. Campaigners attempting to prevent the theatre from being demolished had applied in 2010 for the Futurist to be classed as a listed building.

Publishing the Theatre Buildings At Risk register yesterday, the Theatres Trust said that the buildings are “particularly vulnerable to neglect” due to a lack of care and investment.

They added: “Opportunities to harness the social and cultural value of theatres are being lost. The passing of the Localism Act in November 2011 and its emphasis on social wellbeing means local authorities now have to prepare lists of assets of community value, which include cultural interests such as theatres.

“The trust’s hope is that this will encourage more owners of theatres at risk to realise that their theatres are assets, for the community and the country.”

The trust’s director, Mhora Samuel, said: “There’s good news is that, overall, the number of buildings on our Theatre Buildings At Risk Register has come down from 56 last year to 49 this year.

“And we’re pleased some have found the funds and support they so desperately needed, such as Wilton’s Music Hall in London and the Gaiety in Ayr.

“However, we’ve also lost some important venues and I’m very concerned about the future of the 17 theatres we’ve added to the Register including the Theatre Royal in Margate, Darlington Arts Centre and Croydon Warehouse.”

The hope now is that both Doncaster Grand Theatre and the Scarborough Futurist can be saved from dereliction and removed from the at-risk register, as several other theatre buildings across the country have.

Among those 24 theatres to have been removed from the 2011 Theatre Buildings At Risk register include the London-based Wilton’s Music Hall, which has received funding for its restoration from bodies including the SITA Trust and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Just last month, the Mayor of Doncaster Peter Davies told a council meeting that he wanted lawyers to look into the ownership of the Grand Theatre, in an attempt to bring the venue back into use.

The chairwoman of the Friends of Doncaster Grand Theatre, Margaret Herbert, said: “We understand perfectly that the owners, like any other, have no obligation to discuss the future of a building they own.

“However, given the significance of this building, both historically and emotionally to hundreds of Doncastrians, we feel disappointed that neither we nor the mayor have received a response, or acknowledgement, from the owners.”

She added that the Friends group has hired solicitors to establish who owns the building, which forms part of the estate of the Frenchgate Centre.

Other theatres in England to be on the at-risk list for 2012 include the Brighton Hippodrome, Margate Theatre Royal, Morecambe Winter Gardens, Burnley Empire, Tameside Hippodrome and the Darlington Arts Centre.

Nobody from the Futurist Theatre was available for comment yesterday.