Tameside Hippodrome

Oldham Road, Ashton-under-Lyne OL6 7SE

As from 1st April 2008 Tameside Hippodrome will be closed until further notice.

Hippodrome Update

A council spokesman said: "Whilst the council is concerned about the staff, it is important to remember that Live Nation and not the Council employ them. Staff are being made redundant by Live Nation not the council. It is notable that Live Nation refused to express interest in the future management of the theatre during the tender process, although at the end of January they did make a belated offer to continue running the theatre on condition that we nearly doubled their index-linked management fee over a 15 year period. Because there is no one who can employ the staff and because there is no one else to run the theatre it may be that the future of the theatre is run much more along voluntary lines.

"The council cannot run the theatre itself. If the theatre reopens then it will be for the new operator to decide what levels of staffing are appropriate. It seems likely that the current staff will be attractive if a new operator needs staff. However, it may be a different type of venue.

Tameside people have made it clear that they would like the building as a theatre. Clearly the Council can only achieve this if it can find a sustainable business model. If we cannot find an operator who can run it is a professional theatre then perhaps there may be a way to run it as a community/voluntary operation. We will consult the public on any different future uses."

Background

At the end of last year we invited expressions of interest to manage the Hippodrome. As part of that process it was recognised that the theatre would need significant investment. It was hoped that a new operator would be able to bring investment to the theatre along with a council contribution.

If this process had been successful, as we hoped it would be, then staff would have transferred to a new operator.

We did receive a limited number of initial expressions of interest. We had interested companies analysed by external consultants who advised that these companies lacked either the expertise or the financial strength to manage the theatre and/or fund the investment. We have not therefore been able to invite detailed proposals from these companies so it is not right to say that we have received offers to run the theatre.

It is notable that Live Nation refused to express interest in the future management of the theatre during the tender process, although at the end of January they did make a belated offer to continue running the theatre on condition that we nearly doubled their index-linked management fee over a 15 year period. We don’t have that budget available and this offer would not secure the investment which the theatre needs. There were also legal problems with accepting this belated proposal as it was outside the tender process.

Closure

The theatre will close on 1 April whilst the Council tries to secure its long term future. It is not just closed for refurbishment.

During the closure the Council will need to:

• Survey the theatre in detail
• Find funding for refurbishment (if this can be found)
• Find a sustainable business model for the theatre.
• Find an operator who can operate to this business model.

The theatre can only reopen when we can meet all these requirements.