Selladoor co-founder Phillip Rowntree leaves company after 11 years

Selladoor Worldwide co-founder Phillip Rowntree has left the organisation after 11 years.

He set up the company, originally called Sell a Door Theatre, with David Hutchinson in 2009. The pair formed the company while students at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.

In a statement, the company confirmed that the two had “decided to go their separate ways”.

Rowntree was chief financial officer of the company, and recently oversaw a successful application to the Culture Recovery Fund, through which Selladoor Productions was awarded £755,084, and North Devon Theatres – which Selladoor operates – was awarded £553,086. The Peterborough Theatre, which Selladoor has managed since 2019, was given £639,277.

The company said: “Selladoor Worldwide can confirm that, after 11 years of working together, David Hutchinson and Phillip Rowntree have decided to go their separate ways. Phillip is stepping down as CFO, and will leave the business altogether after a period of transition during which he will hand over his responsibilities to other staff members.”

Hutchinson, who is chief executive, will remain in his current role, and Michael Weatherston, former head of legal and operations, takes up a senior leadership position as interim chief operating officer.

“The team are looking forward to the post-Covid future with a number of exciting projects in the pipeline, starting with the ACE-supported bridging program in our Peterborough and North Devon venues,” the company added.

Rowntree’s departure comes after a period of rapid growth for the company, during which it has moved into venue management, launched a pantomime arm, and started producing large-scale live gameplay productions.

However, it recently had to cut more than 90 jobs due to the effect of the pandemic on its operations.