'Not fit for purpose theatre needs promised funds'

A theatre would remain “not fit for purpose” if levelling-up funding promised by the previous government was withdrawn, according to its chief executive.

Worcester City Council was due to get £5m to spend on cultural and heritage projects, with £155,000 going towards improvements at the Swan Theatre.

But Labour announced a review into billions of pounds-worth of promised levelling-up funding shortly after the election, putting the theatre’s project at risk.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said it was forced to carry out the review after inheriting £22bn of unfunded spending commitments.

The improvements to the Swan Theatre would include an accessible lift and an accessible toilet.

Sarah-Jane Morgan, chief executive of Worcester Theatres, which runs the venue, said it would be "very difficult" to fund the work without the levelling-up cash.

"It is a building that has seen little updating, modernisation or improvement since it was built in 1965 and although the staff has accessibility and inclusion as part of their core values, the building and its infrastructure does not support this," she said.

"Without the levelling-up funding the Swan Theatre is a venue that is not fit for purpose in terms of its accessibility for our disabled patrons."

She said the addition of the lift and toilet were the first steps towards making "life-changing" improvements to the venue.

An MHCLG spokesperson said growth was the "number one priority" for the government and highlighted its £3bn of investment in "local growth" for next year.

"This government inherited £22bn of unfunded spending commitments and we have therefore been forced to make the difficult decision to review these previously announced projects," they added.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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