Oldham Coliseum: Pressure to save theatre ramps up

The performing arts and entertainment trade union, Equity, has been at the forefront of calls to rescue the Fairbottom Street theatre from potential closure.

Oldham Coliseum announced earlier this month that it may be forced to close its doors by the beginning of April this year, following a rejected funding bid from Arts Council England (ACE).

On Tuesday, February 21, an estimated 400 people packed into the historic venue to hear from a range of speakers and campaigners, including famous actress, Maxine Peake, the Coliseum's CEO and artistic director, Chris Lawson, and trade union representatives.

Members of the public also voiced their support for their beloved theatre, which has stood in Oldham for more than 135 years, with calls to mobilise and "sit in" the stage space.

The theatre was packed with members of the public this week (Image: Newsquest, Olivia Bridge)

Others suggested taking to the streets to rally for the company, but for now, Equity is continuing to apply pressure on decision-makers at both Oldham Council and the Arts Council.

Around 400 signatures were added to a petition card from the meeting which read: "Dear Arts Council England, save Oldham Coliseum: keep producing theatre alive in Oldham."

The petition was then handed in to the Arts Council's Manchester office by Equity president, Lynda Rooke, on Wednesday morning.

A spokesperson for Arts Council England said: "Oldham Coliseum is a well-loved fixture in the town and understandably many people have strong feelings about the future of the theatre.

"Oldham Coliseum Ltd has been facing financial and governance challenges for some time and as guardians of public money we could not invest in an organisation which we assessed to be such a high risk."

The Arts Council also said while it continues to fund the Coliseum and invest £1.85m in Oldham, it said it is "fully behind the plans shared by the Council for a new performing space that will be informed by the legacy of Oldham Coliseum".

However, undeterred, the trade union has also submitted a plethora of questions ahead of Oldham Council's cabinet meeting on Monday, February 27.

On the agenda, the council is due to discuss its plans for a new £24m theatre in the town, which was announced earlier this week, and take questions from the public.

It was suggested by Mr Lawson that plans for the new theatre reveal it would be smaller, with fewer seats (350) than the current Coliseum (525), and will have no flying facility which is regularly used in their popular pantomime performances.

Equity trade union representatives with the petition of 400 signatures (Image: Equity UK)

It will also take at least three years for the "new Coliseum" to be built, during which Mr Lawson argued there will be a "void" of theatre provision in the town and 70 jobs are at risk of redundancy.

He said the company might not exist in three years' time.

Equity has submitted its questions to be heard at the meeting, which are as follows:

1. Will you guarantee that the new theatre will be a producing house?
2. Who is going to run that theatre?
3. What can you/we do to ensure that the Oldham Coliseum company survives until the new building opens?
4. What provision will the council make to maintain a producing theatre company in Oldham operating from April 1, 2023, and who will run that producing company if the Coliseum as a company goes into administration?
5. How does the council plan for the new theatre to be a viable producing house in the absence of a fly system/theatrical rigging system, which is necessary for a full pantomime production and for many live theatre productions?
6. Can the council guarantee the new theatre will be commercially viable for pantomimes with a 300-seat approx capacity theatre?
7. Has the council produced an assessment of the permanent jobs the new theatre will create balanced against the job losses from the current theatre, taking into account the lack of need for specialist fly/theatre rigging staff?
8. Has the council produced an assessment for how it will ensure it can hire the skilled staff needed for operating a new theatre and it will work to stop the loss of skilled staff from Oldham who will be made redundant from the Coliseum on March 31, 2023?
9. Is there absolutely no way the council can support the Coliseum to remain open until after the next panto and then support the company to work peripatetically?

Equity is hoping one of its representatives will attend public question time in person.

Equity north west regional official, Paul Liversey, added:“It should not be the case that a theatre which has been at the heart of a town for 138 years, can be forced to shut due to the outcome of a three-year funding application.

"We urge Arts Council England to work with Oldham Coliseum to find a way for the theatre to continue to exist in a way that is sustainable, and to save the 70 jobs that are due to be lost.

"Whether it be in the current building or elsewhere, the people of Oldham deserve access to the arts, union jobs and the nurturing of local talent that is provided by a producing theatre.

“Equity have accepted the offer of a meeting from ACE and are awaiting confirmation of dates to further discuss this matter.”

Meanwhile, members of the public are organising to meet outside the Civic Centre on Monday from 5pm to show their support for the Coliseum ahead of the cabinet meeting.