Bosses at Oldham Coliseum have confirmed that the historic theatre has entered into a period of consultation with staff and is proposing to close the theatre at the end of March.
The theatre on Fairbottom Street, which is one of the oldest in Britain, announced last month the cancellation of all upcoming shows and events including its pantomime from late March as a result of 100 per cent funding cut from Arts Council England (ACE).
In November, it had applied for £1.84 million in funding to remain in the ACE portfolio for the next three years - a major part of its business model - but, despite Oldham being earmarked as one of the priority 'Levelling Up for Culture' areas, the bid was unsuccessful.
A number of fundraising campaigns and petitions were launched to support the much-loved arts venue after news of the cancellation of its theatre programme was announced.
But on Tuesday afternoon, a spokesperson for Oldham Coliseum said: "Following the news on 4 November 2022 that Oldham Coliseum will no longer be part of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio from 1 April 2023, the Board of Trustees and Senior Leadership Team have been working hard to find a solution to this reduction in funding.
"However, the current financial situation is not sustainable for the running of a full-time theatre. It is with great regret therefore that we announce that we have entered into a consultation period with all staff and it is proposed that Oldham Coliseum Theatre will close its doors on Friday 31 March 2023."
The Coliseum say it is working with Arts Council England and Oldham Council to "ensure a smooth transition period" for the company, including funding to enable support for our workforce and honouring commitments to artists.
The statement continued: "The Coliseum has been at the heart of theatre in Oldham for over 100 years, with a highly regarded history in the industry dating back to the Oldham Rep which launched the careers of many famous faces. Many of the Coliseum’s staff have lived in Oldham all their lives and worked with the company for over a decade. They are the priority for the company at this time.
"The Coliseum would like to thank its audiences, participants, sponsors, partners, funders, patrons, industry colleagues and friends for their support over many years."
All events at the Coliseum until Sunday 26 March will go ahead as planned. Ticket holders for all other events will be refunded over the coming weeks. Any donations made to the theatre when booking tickets for cancelled events and Our Coliseum members whose memberships are due to expire after 26 March will also be refunded.
