The future of the Churchill Theatre in Bromley has been “secured”, after discussions between the council, which owns the building, and operators Trafalgar Theatres, with a third-party bidder agreeing to come on board.
Thriving theatre: Bromley’s Churchill Theatre has a bustling schedule, unlike certain other, nearby venues
There had been growing uncertainty over the venue’s future, as the council has been looking at schemes to close or move the theatre and the public library, as part of property deals intended to boost the local authority’s flagging finances (sound familiar?).
The 781-seat theatre, built in the 1970s, is “nearing the end of its design life”, according to the council.
Under Trafalgar Theatres, the Churchill continues to offer a variety of touring productions and other pieces, such as the recently staged Clueless musical, which has since transferred to the West End).
Bromley’s Conservative-controlled council sought expressions of interest earlier this year aimed at ensuring long-term security for the venue.
Yvonne Bear, the executive councillor responsible, said: “This is very welcome news, not just for the theatre and everyone who values it but also for Bromley town centre as a whole and for Council Tax-payers.
“We look forward to working with the theatre and the developer in the coming months and will share more news when we can.”
The bidder for the building will be identified once the council has completed the bidding process. Helen Enright, chief exec of Trafalgar Theatres, said: “We will be pleased to work with the bidder to develop Bromley’s theatre offering.
“In the meantime, I would encourage Churchill Theatre goers to keep supporting us by coming to see our fantastic shows.”
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“The 781-seat theatre, built in the 1970s, is “nearing the end of its design life”, according to the council.”
Bollocks.
That’s just their way of saying they want to knock down a perfectly good building that’s less than 50 years old and clear the site for development.
This is from a Tory council that claims it wants to reach Net Zero by 2027. That’s easy to achieve if you ignore things like the environmental impact of demolition and rebuilding with virgin materials