Spilsby theatre remains on 'at risk' register

Spilsby Sessions House has been on the register since 2015

A theatre based in a former 19th Century courthouse remains on the Theatres Trust's at-risk register, despite plans to renovate it.

Spilsby Sessions House is one of 39 venues on the 2024 Theatres at Risk register, which highlights theatres across the UK under threat of closure.

The theatre has been on the register since 2015.

However, the Grade-II listed theatre is set to benefit from a share of an £8m fund to help bring it back into use.

The transformation would result in "an outstanding" multi-purpose arts and culture facility, according to the Silsby Sessions House charity which is working in close partnership with East Lindsey District Council to develop the plans.

Trustee Bruce Knight said the theatre remained on the at-risk register as significant building work, fundraising and local support was still required "to ensure the venue can be fully operational".

Mr Knight said levelling up funding of £4.9m had been secured towards the full repair and conservation of the building.

However, he said it was important to keep "the momentum of our project" in order to be removed from the list.

"Our aim is for this to happen, with a full venue launch, in 2026," Mr Knight added.

A spokesperson for the Theatres Trust said the charity was supporting the project.

'Rising costs'

Elsewhere, there have been two new additions to the list - Abbeydale Picture House in Sheffield and Epstein Theatre in Liverpool.

However, the trust said Dudley Hippodrome had been removed after it was demolished to make way for a new university building.

The trust's director Jon Morgan said: "The changes represent the wider issues we are seeing across the theatre sector.

"Squeezes on local authority budgets means many are stepping away from or significantly reducing funding to theatres, while rising costs and scarcity of funding is making it harder to repair, maintain and update buildings.

"We believe that all of these buildings are worth the investment, not only as valuable social and cultural facilities but also for their potential contribution to wider placemaking and regeneration," he added.