This week, the old Victoria Theatre in Lower Broughton was still high on the new Theatres Trust At Risk register, with a score of 8, putting it jointly in peril with the Theatre Royal, Margate, the Winter Gardens in Morecambe and the Dudley Hippodrome, while the most at risk theatre in the country is the Brighton Hippodrome with a score of 9.
While the scores look bad, behind the scenes the Salford Victoria Theatre Trust has been working hard to try and restore the building, with optimism now in the air following a £21,000 viability study, financed by the Theatres At Risk Capacity Building Programme, on its future*....
"The interim report is shaping up to show a viable way forward for restoration" says Sam Kelly of the Trust "The information we have had so far from the historian David Wilmore has shown that the stage in the Victoria is unique in the British Isles, having the only surviving example of a 'Scruto' structure. It's also one of only three theatres that were wholly designed by Bertie Crewe that have survived unaltered, one being in London and the other in Paris, and there's a recommendation for the building to be Grade II* listed."
The consultants, Colliers International, with Foster Wilson Architects, IKS Consulting and Theatresearch, have added that they think that "it is unlikely that any other project could make such a positive contribution to regenerating and improving that part of Salford than restoration of the Victoria Theatre" and "does not require major change to become usable again."
Sam adds: "We really are very excited that, from the report, although the building does need a lot of TLC, the structure is basically sound but needs securing and further deterioration stopped, and that the funds required to restore the building would not be unachievable.
"We have a final consultation on the 17th February with local interested parties and we would invite anyone who wants to contribute to the discussion about the future of the Victoria and possible uses they would like to see to attend" she says "Then a final report will be produced. This will give us a pathway to restoration in phases, allowing us to bring the building back into use gradually so that there will be space for community use whilst the restoration is still be carried out."
The final community consultation will be on 17th February. For details email info@salfordvictoria.co.uk
There's also going to be a clean-up around the outside of the Victoria Theatre on 22nd February.
For more details see the Save The Victoria Theatre Salford website – click here or the Facebook group – click here and click here
* See also previous Salford Star article Grade II Listed Victoria Theatre Nearer To Being Saved - click here
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