Campaigners who have worked tirelessly to rescue and reopen the Tameside Hippodrome received a major boost this week.

For a grant of £5,000 has been awarded to the Ashton Empire Hippodrome (Building) Ltd. The money will be used to cover costs of strengthening its Board and towards its visioning work to ultimately see the theatre reopen.

Tameside Hippodrome, which started life in 1904 as the Ashton Empire Hippodrome, is nationally recognised as a rare example of the transition from purpose-built theatre to cinematic use with the arrival of “talkies” in the 1930s.

It has a wealth of Art Deco decoration in its public areas whilst retaining the huge stage of the Edwardian era.

A group have long been campaigning for the theatre to be repaired, restored, refurbished and re-opened as a fully operational theatre and the not-for-profit company was formed to acquire the theatre and carry out that work.

The Hippodrome is one of just seven theatres nationally to receive funding through the first round of the Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities grants programme, run by Theatres Trust, the national advisory body for theatres.

The programme aims to help progress the restoration, reopening or revitalising of ‘At Risk’ theatres by funding expert support.

Keith Dalby-Oldham, CEO of Ashton Empire Hippodrome (Building) Ltd. explained that the grant is significant for two reasons.

“It’s a major help in ensuring that we have proper strong governance in place to secure the theatre’s long-term future, but it also means that our efforts have been recognised by major national bodies as being worthy of financial support. They believe we can do this,” he said.

Theatres Trust Director Jon Morgan said: “We believe every theatre on our ‘Theatres at Risk’ list has the potential to be returned for use by their communities, providing performance venues of types currently lacking in their local areas and bringing much needed footfall to town centres.

“Theatres Trust is delighted to support Tameside Hippodrome with this project that will help it move a step closer to its ultimate goal.”

Other theatres receiving funding in this round are Burnley Empire, Derby Hippodrome, Doncaster Grand, Margate Theatre Royal, Morecambe Winter Gardens and Salford Victoria. All are on the Theatres at Risk Register 2023, published by Theatres Trust in February, which highlights and supports theatres across the country that are at risk of closure or demolition, and which have architectural and community merit.

The Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities programme is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Pilgrim Trust and Swire Charitable Trust.

Tameside Hippodrome closed  in 2008 and was awarded Grade II listing in 2009 as a building of national importance.

Efforts to re-open the Hippodrome began in 2012 and have continued ever since, despite setbacks along the way.

The current group has ambitious plans for a relaunch of the much-loved venue as a not-for-profit, receiving theatre of the highest standard and a prime anchor of the proposed redevelopment of St Petersfield.

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