Oldham Coliseum: review into building and governance ordered

In a letter posted on Twitter, Duncan Craig, the new chair of Oldham Coliseum Theatre Ltd, said: "The new board’s initial priority was to try to keep the Fairbottom Street building open, but we are realistic, this is highly unlikely to happen. 

"The long-held dream of a new purpose-built theatre in Oldham may have contributed to the decline of Fairbottom Street, and a visual survey identified long-term issues that would be difficult and enormously costly to rectify. Following the unsuccessful bid made to Arts Council England, we have had to give notice on the building simply to allow the organisation to remain solvent."

Craig added: "With the small amount of available funds, we are ordering an independent review into the state of the building to confirm its condition – and an independent report into the previous governance, which we hope will help us understand how this tragic situation was allowed to happen. 

"I feel strongly that the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester deserve full transparency about exactly how the theatre came to lose its ACE funding and how the building was allowed to degrade to such a degree."

Craig said the reviews were expected to be completed in June and that all findings would be published. He added the new board was in discussion with Oldham Council and other individuals, and organisations in the region about its future. 

He added: "I know that a lot of you – a lot of us – are still grieving and mourning for the loss of the old Coliseum – and, for that matter, angry at the previous leadership. 

"I also know, like us, that you care deeply about the amazing staff who remain and want to support them through this difficult period."

Craig paid tribute to the organisation’s artistic director and chief executive Chris Lawson, whose leadership he described as a "shining beacon in the darkness".