Oldham Coliseum Theatre is moving to a new location, with construction work due to begin in March 2018.<\/p>\n
The new building will be fitted with a 550 seat auditorium and 170 seat studio theatre. It will also have a rehearsal room and educational facilities, as well as improved front of house facilities – including a caf\u00e9 bar and outdoor terrace area.<\/p>\n
The theatre is currently situated on Fairbottom Street, but will be moving to Southgate Street car park site, with a frontage on Union Street. It will be next to Gallery Oldham, Library and Lifelong Learning Centre.<\/p>\n
Kevin Shaw, Oldham Coliseum Theatre’s Artistic Director and Chief Executive, said, \u201cThe current building is 130 years old and is reaching the end of its natural life. It has been pushed to its limit and there\u2019s no more room for it to grow.\u201d <\/p>\n
The current building makes it difficult for theatre-goers to purchase drinks at the bar during intervals, due to lack of space and facilities. The move will ensure that this isn\u2019t an issue, as the new bar area will be bigger, and better equipped to accommodate more people.<\/p>\n
Kevin said: \u201cThe current building just isn\u2019t right for modern audiences but the Coliseum is the jewel in Oldham\u2019s crown and we\u2019ve made sure to choose a site where the warmth of the building can be maintained.\u201d<\/p>\n
With public lifts to all levels, the new building will be fully accessible for disabled and elderly audiences, which isn’t the case at the current site. It will also have a bigger studio space, allowing more young people to be taught at the theatre, as part of the Coliseum\u2019s Teaching Theatre programme.<\/p>\n
The new building will be situated a matter of yards away from the Metrolink and town centre.<\/p>\n
Kevin said, \u201cWe hope that the move will attract an alternative, night time economy – maybe people who don\u2019t visit the theatre often or have never been before. It\u2019ll give the Coliseum a real boost.\u201d<\/p>\n
The re-furb will begin in March 2018 and will cost \u00a325million to complete. By Autumn 2019, the building itself will be finished and the remainder of the year will be spent fitting technical equipment.<\/p>\n
Local resident Elizabeth, 79, said: \u201cI\u2019ll be sad to see it close; it\u2019s somewhere everyone in Oldham has fond memories of visiting \u2013 I know I do anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another local, Dave, 32, said: \u201cIt\u2019s something to look forward to isn\u2019t it? Oldham could do with something like this. I love taking my kids at Christmas to see the pantomime so I\u2019m looking forward to seeing what the new place is like.\u201d<\/p>\n
The current Coliseum building will close its doors with a final pantomime performance, ready for a Spring 2020 opening at the new location.<\/p>\n