Union Theatre in Southwark fundraising for survival over £120k bill

Sasha Regan has run the theatre for 25 years

A London theatre venue is fundraising for its survival as it is struggling to pay a £120,000 bill from rent arrears built up during the pandemic.

The Union Theatre in Southwark has launched an online appeal to help avoid it being evicted.

Its founder and director, Sasha Regan, said she was struggling to pay the bill alongside other outgoings which have gone up amid the cost of living crisis.

Landlord The Arch Company said it "exploring a solution".

Many fringe theatres are struggling to recover from the pandemic, as they were some of the most affected businesses and were amongst the last allowed to re-open following the restrictions enforced to stop the spread of Covid.

Ms Regan said: "I will do anything I can to stay a tenant with them, which I have been for 25 years and that will be the best possible solution."

She added the bill was all of the rent for the period when it was closed during the pandemic.

The theatre's landlord said it was working to find a solution

"That sort of amount of money, it's just not viable to add that on to our outgoings with the electricity, which is astronomical, and the rent that we're paying now."

Her daughter Nellie Regan, who is now a performer, is helping her mother by setting up a GoFundMe page.

"Imagine being 23 and just going 'let's set up a theatre' - not many people do that.

"She's had it for so long and we have gone through so much as a family. This has always been her priority."

A spokesperson for the landlord said: "We granted Union Theatre four months' rent free to support them through the worst of the pandemic and agreed a repayment plan to help them pay down their rental arrears in monthly instalments.

"We will continue to work with Union Theatre to find a solution to address their situation.

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