Funds have been secured to complete 'urgent repairs' on Romiley's Forum Theatre, so the building can re-open 'as soon as possible'. 

Stockport Council will provide £300,000 for repair work on reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) found in the building. 

The theatre closed in 2023, following a change in government guidance around RAAC in August. NK Theatre Arts, the occupier of the building, has been forced to reduce its services as a result.

Local residents and politicans have been campaigning for the Forum since its closure. 

Cassie Briffa, spokesperson for the Free the Forum campaign group, said: "We have campaigned tirelessly since the closure for the Council to step up and make the theatre the priority it promised that it was.

"Our campaign has pushed for urgent repairs to ensure the safety and integrity of the Forum Theatre, and we are delighted to see progress finally being made.

"The important thing now is that the money has been allocated for the repairs needed, and we urge for swift action to reopen the theatre doors."

Local ward wouncillor and Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Lisa Smart said the funding was 'great news' (Image - Lisa Smart)

Cllr Lisa Smart said: "First of all, this funding decision is great news. I identified a way that the repairs could be funded, and the Council took on my request and delivered. 

"As an administration, the Liberal Democrats are absolutely focused on delivering the practical solutions that our community needs. It is still vital that the Government steps up and delivers on a long-term, permanent solution for Romiley Forum and other theatres like this.

"The work that NK Theatre Arts does with kids and adults of all abilities is fantastic, and the whole facility is a real hub for the area. The impact the closure of the Forum Theatre has had on the local community cannot be understated – which is why this initial funding is so important, and why a long-term solution is so necessary."

Paul Athans, Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Hazel Grove, said: "It's great news that we may have a potential solution to re-open the Forum Theatre. Getting the theatre back up and running is the most important thing for our community.

"But, to claim this as a Lib Dem victory is a slap in the face for all those local people who have been campaigning for a solution for over four months. It's taken the combined pressure of local campaigners, the press, and myself, to force the Lib Dems to take action, which is frankly unacceptable. If they can find £300K now, why couldn't they do it in 2023?

"I want to thank the Free the Forum campaign for all their work."

Hazel Grove Conservative Parliamentary candidate Paul Athans with Free the Forum spokesperson Cassia Briffa (Image - Paul Athans)

Other local politicians have also campaigned for the Forum; in a meeting in January, Cllr Joe Barratt said: ""We cannot, in our year as Town of Culture, have a situation where we are looking potentially at the closure - in terms of operations - of a cultural body that has done so much for Stockport for many years. We cannot have that in our Town of Culture year."

The Free the Forum campaign group added "...particular thanks to Cllr Barratt and Paul Athans, and to our Ward Councillors, Cllr Angie Clark, Cllr Mark Roberts and Cllr Lisa Smart for their efforts in securing a plan and funding for the repairs."

RAAC was first discovered in the building in 2017. James Kington - Assistant Director of Estates and Asset Management for Stockport Council - maintained: "The theatre was not closed because we found anything particularly scary or dangerous. It was closed because of a fundamental change in guidance."

Local councillors and campaigners have called for this matter to be investigated by the scrutiny committee.

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