Theatre Buildings at Risk Register 2013 Announced

LONDON, September 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

The awe-inspiring Brighton Hippodrome, a magnificent Grade II* listed variety/circus theatre, and the Grade II listed Swansea Palace, top the Theatre Buildings at Risk Register 2013 being launched at the Coronet, Elephant and Castle in London on 19 September.

48 theatres feature on Register 2013, published by national advisory public body, The Theatres Trust. Compared to last year there are ten new theatres at risk, seven theatres have been saved, but four have been lost forever.

Penelope Keith CBE DL, Theatres Trust Trustee, said, "More has to be done to protect theatres under threat. The Trust is particularly concerned about the future of Brighton Hippodrome. Plans for the cinema conversion come close to heritage destruction of a Grade II* listed building - and there will be little chance of this wonderful theatre ever being used again for live performance."

For the first time the Trust is publishing the Risk Value associated with each theatre.  These provide an assessment of the current risks faced by each building as well as the theatre's quality and significance. The highest score that can be given is six. In Register 2013 sixes include the Brighton Hippodrome (Grade II*), Derby Hippodrome (Grade II), Dudley Hippodrome, Theatre Royal Hyde (Grade II), Alexandra Palace Theatre (Grade II), Hulme Hippodrome (Grade II), Plymouth Palace (Grade II*), the Futurist in Scarborough, and Swansea Palace (Grade II). These theatres are either in a critical physical condition or will be irrevocably altered or demolished.

Theatres rated at five include, Tameside Hippodrome (Grade II), RAF Brampton Little Theatre, Hulme Playhouse (Grade II), Burnley Empire, Darlington Arts Centre, Hulme Playhouse (Grade II), Morecambe Winter Gardens (Grade II*) and Victoria Theatre in Salford.

New additions this year include, the Coronet, Elephant and Castle, London, the Spa Pavilion in Felixstowe, and the former Theatre Royal in Manchester (Grade II), all on sites earmarked for redevelopment. A further seven have also come onto the Register, the Curzon/Redstack Playhouse in Bexhill-on-Sea, the Forest Theatre in Berry Hill near Coleford, the Odeon/Victoria in Bradford, Theatrebarn in Bretforton, Westovian Theatre Pier Pavilion in South Shields, The Brewhouse in Taunton and Conwy Civic Hall.

Lost forever are the St Peters Theatre Southsea, the Cochrane Theatre, and the Mermaid Theatre in London as their local authorities have determined that they are no longer to be classed as theatres in the Planning system and the land they occupy will be redeveloped. The site of the Precinct Theatre in Islington, London has also gone for redevelopment, despite the valiant efforts of campaigners.

Mhora Samuel, Director of The Theatres Trust, said, "We are at risk of losing really important and historic theatre buildings as a result of neglect, development and demolition. It's so sad to see theatres treated in this way. Some have been left to rot and are being destroyed by water damage and rampant Buddleia; others are at the mercy of developers. Our top theatres at risk include those with special heritage status, but this is not protecting them. Brighton Hippodrome, Plymouth Palace, Hulme Hippodrome and Swansea Palace are beautiful theatres that could be reborn in ways that would enable us to continue to appreciate their full splendour. They deserve to be treated better."

The Theatres Trust is pleased however, to report that seven theatre buildings have been removed from the Register as their future is secure. Three are in Scotland, and four in England. They include the Category A Britannia Panopticon in Glasgow, which received funding for repairs and Margate's Grade II* Theatre Royal which has plans for a capital redevelopment. Others that have been removed are the New Victoria/Odeon and Leith Theatre, both in Edinburgh, Stanford Hall Theatre in Stanford-on-Soar, the New Bradford Playhouse, and the Floral Hall in Hornsea, The Floral Hall is an excellent example of what can be achieved when a community comes together to campaign to save their local theatre. The campaigners formed The Floral Hall Community Centre and now own the freehold of the building.

Each of the top at risk entries has an information sheet and press images, contact Kate Carmichael press@theatrestrust.org.uk to find out more.

Notes to Editors

1. Launch event: Press are invited to attend the Theatre Buildings at Risk press launch on 19 September at 11am at the Coronet, London. Contact Kate Carmichael E: press@theatrestrust.org.uk to find out more.
   
   The event is generously sponsored by Robertson Taylor W&P Longreach, Theatre Insurance. Thank you to Coronet London for use of its venue and facilities.
   
2. Theatre Buildings at Risk Register: The Theatre Buildings at Risk (TBAR) Register, created in 2007, is published annually and has significantly helped to raise public awareness of theatres that are under threat, lie abandoned or close The Theatres Trust gives these theatres a voice through its Theatre Buildings at Risk Register.
   
3. The Theatre Buildings at Risk 2013 Register can be searched online. More information on each theatre is provided through a link to the Trust's online Theatres Database, which includes around 2,000 existing theatre buildings. theatrestrust.org.uk
   
   2012 - 49 on TBAR 38 England; 5 Scotland; 6 Wales
   2011 - 56 on TBAR 41 England; 7 Scotland; 8 Wales
   2010 - 55 on TBAR 43 England; 7 Scotland; 5 Wales
   
4. Risk Values: For the first time we are publishing the Risk Values associated with each theatre. Each theatre on The Theatres Trust's Theatre Buildings at Risk Register is assessed and given a 'Risk rating' of 0-3 depending on the number of high, medium or low levels of risk identified for each theatre against certain risk criteria. A further 'Star rating' of 0-3 is also applied which makes a qualitative judgment on the importance of the theatre. The maximum Risk Value a theatre can be assigned is 6 - and it is these theatres that sit in the top, most at risk theatres in the UK.
   
5. About The Theatres Trust: The Theatres Trust is the National Advisory Public Body for theatres. The Trust was established by The Theatres Trust Act 1976, 'to promote the better protection of theatres'. It is a statutory consultee on theatre buildings in the planning system, provides expert advice on the sustainable development of theatre buildings and helps promote awareness and solutions for theatres at risk. It champions all theatres, historic, contemporary and new in theatre use, in other uses or disused. The Theatres Trust's central London Theatreland-based Resource Centre provides access to a specialist theatre buildings Reference Library including books and architectural plans.

The Theatres Trust
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W: http://theatrestrust.org.uk
@theatrestrust