Historic theatre saved from bulldozers in 11th hour reprieve

A FORMER theatre in Dudley threatened with demolition has been given an 11th hour reprieve.

Dudley Council had been set to bulldoze the town’s landmark Hippodrome theatre after it failed to find a buyer willing to invest in the refurbishment of the venue.

Councillors have now agreed to extend a lifeline to the venue by agreeing to lease the building to campaigners for five years in the hope they can raise the funds necessary to secure the future of the theatre.

Black Country Hippodrome Ltd, the group which has been battling to re-open the theatre, will now take over the running of the building – although it will continue to collaborate with the council.

The council has been seeking planning permission to demolish the building to make way for an open air public space to host exhibitions and other events next to the entrance to the town’s zoo and castle.

While these plans will continue as a “fallback position” the council said it had made a firm commitment to work with the group as it explored all options for the re-opening of the building as a community facility.

Cllr Peter Lowe, leader of Dudley Council, said: “We have always maintained that we would look seriously at viable propositions for the building and it is clear that the current group has made significant strides forward in developing a plan for the site.

“However, having come this far, we recognise that the group needs a stake in the building in order to be able to have meaningful discussions with potential funding partners and we are now exploring how to reach a position which gives the group this stake, without committing either party fully until we have more certainty.

“Our work to seek planning permission to demolish the building is merely a fallback position if our work with the group fails to re-open the building for whatever reason, but rest assured they have our full support in their bid.”

The building has stood empty since it closed as a bingo hall in 2009. It has not been used as a theatre since the 1960s and in its heyday the venue would performers such as Gracie Fields and George Formby; even Hollywood comedy legends Laurel and Hardy.

The council bought the theatre in 2010 and launched well publicised plans to demolish the building as part of a huge tourism masterplan linking the zoo with the town centre. But the plans were halted so it could listen to groups which asked for the opportunity to look at alternative uses for the building, which has been ongoing for five years.

In December, the council’s cabinet approved moves to seek planning application to demolish the building and create a public open space.