Oldham Coliseum doors remain firmly shut

It’s well into the Panto season – but the doors of the Oldham Coliseum remain firmly shut.

Despite hopes the Fairbottom Street theatre would be open in time for the 2025 run of festive shows, the entrance is secured with stainless steel sheets and wire fencing.

For the third year in a row, there will be no Panto show at the ‘jewel in Oldham’s crown’.

The almost 130-year-old venue used to be renowned for its energetic pre-Christmas performances.

It’s been almost a year and a half after the Council announced it would be ‘rescuing’ the much-loved theatre, which was closed down in March 2023 after losing its Arts Council funding due to financial mismanagement.

The local authority pledged a £10m investment to bring the building back into use.

But the process has so far been fraught with delays, complications, and changes of plan.

This summer, its grand reopening planned for winter 2025 was delayed to 2026, though no exact opening date has followed.

But that doesn’t mean nothing is happening.

Behind the steel sheeting, major works are taking place on the structure of the building.

New roofing is being attached, asbestos is being stripped from the walls, and walls are being jackhammered out of existence for a dramatic shake-up of the internal layout.

The works are highly specialised for what has been described as ‘an extremely complicated building’.

A spokesperson for Oldham Council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Work is progressing well on the building.

"It’s a complex heritage site, and different parts of it need specialist attention.

“You’ll see scaffolding, contractors on site and a lot of activity as we carry out essential restoration and modernisation.

"We also need to make sure the building meets current safety standards and regulations.

“As with any major heritage project, this takes time, but it’s important we get it right.

"Some changes are also being made to the layout so the building works better for audiences and performers when it reopens.”

Plans are also progressing on creating a more ‘welcoming entrance’ to the theatre, which is currently tucked at the end of a dingy alleyway.

The council courted controversy earlier this year, when it emerged they were bidding for Harry’s Bar, a former pub on Yorkshire Street in an increasingly run-down state.

The council has reportedly secured the site for ‘below the asking price’, which was listed on property market site Zoopla for around £470,000.

The local authority are now considering a number of different options for the site, which could include demolishing the building to create a town square, or moving a box office and hospitality options into the current structure.

The council refuses to be pinned down on a date for the reopening.

A knowledgeable spokesperson said: “We’re not going to rush this just to give an early date.

"We want the building to open once, properly, and stay open.

“Our aim is for residents to walk in and feel that real ‘wow’ moment.

"The priority now is making sure the building is safe, high quality and fully ready for the long-term.”

But one thing that is certain, according to council officers, is that the way the theatre runs is going to change.

Friends of the Coliseum Theatre, the Coliseum production house, and the local authority have all promised to become a part of a wider ‘Cultural Cooperative’ to find a ‘financially sustainable’ way to run the theatre.

This would include potentially joining up different venues across the town centre to appeal to different audiences and looking at alternative uses for the buildings.

It’s worth noting that while Oldham Coliseum can’t open its doors to the public, its nomadic-turned producing house is still putting on a show.

The Coliseum Theatre is putting on ‘A Christmas Fair’ at Chadderton Town Hall on Garforth Street until January 2.

Oldham Council wouldn’t answer a question about if the theatre would be open in time for Panto 2026 – having been heavily criticised for falling short when they made that promise for this year.

But reading between the lines – it’s clear that’s what many people are quietly spending their Christmas wishes on.

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