Covid: Portsmouth University threatens legal action amid New Theatre Royal plan

Portsmouth's New Theatre Royal has been closed since the start of the first lockdown

A 165-year-old Portsmouth theatre faces legal action from the city's university ahead of its proposed sale to the city council.

Portsmouth City Council has offered to buy New Theatre Royal and lease it back to its management trust.

However, the University of Portsmouth said it was owed more than £600,000 from its previous backing of the venue.

Trustees of the theatre said it had been trying to reach an "amicable solution" with the university.

The theatre has faced financial difficulties having been forced to cancel shows during the pandemic.

The city council announced a plan to purchase the New Theatre Royal Trust last month, which it said would allow it to get back on a "more sound financial footing".

The Grade II listed venue, which originally opened in 1856, would be bought for an undisclosed sum and leased back to the trustees, who would operate it under a similar model used for the Kings Theatre and Guildhall in the city.

The 650-seat theatre re-opened in 2015 after a £4.5m revamp, which saw a new stage, backstage area and additional performing spaces created.

The university said it had provided grants of over £200,000 and was owned money following a major refurbishment of the theatre, which included building an adjoining university performing arts building.

It said it had instructed lawyers to "take the necessary steps to recover the debt we are owed".

'Paying off debts'

Vice-chancellor Graham Galbraith said theatre's debt "keeps growing", but the university had offered to write-off 30% of what it was owed.

"We're concerned about the management of shared space which has never been properly resolved," he added.

"We want to make sure the lease arrangement is properly organised so the building can never be sold on as something other than a theatre."

Theatre trustee William Purvis said: "It's in everyone's interest we get this sorted. We're very happy the council is coming in to purchase the building which will give us the money to start paying off some of these debts.

"We all want the success of the theatre and the performing arts in Portsmouth."

A city council spokeswoman said the dispute was a matter for the theatre and university.

The proposed purchase is expected to be considered by the council's cabinet on Tuesday.

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