People have demanded the Epstein Theatre is saved after the venue confirmed it would be closing.
The venue will close its doors for good on Friday, June 30, after Liverpool City Council ended its financial support. Liverpool City Council said it was decided in 2021 the cost to sustain it was "unsustainable" and the landlord and theatre operator were told it could not be continued beyond 2023.
Epstein Entertainments revealed the news with "the deepest sadness" yesterday, confirming the final performance will be Laura Belbin on June 28.
In 2018 an agreement was struck between Epstein Entertainments Ltd, Liverpool City Council and a commercial property landlord which owns the lease to the building but sub-leases the theatre back to the entertainment company. As part of the management agreement, the council was to cover a proportion of the rent, service charge, utilities, and maintenance work.
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The local authority has financially supported the venue since the 1960s and its most recent expenditure on the Epstein was in excess of £100,000 per year. However this funding has now come to an end, along with the management agreement.
Fans of the theatre have expressed their sadness on social media, after the news was announced. On the ECHO Facebook page, Madeleine Ward said: "This is heartbreaking. Taken my grandchildren to amazing pantos there. Simply fabulous. Cast and costumes fabulous. So sad."
Debs O'Donnell commented: "They have to get saved. It's ridiculous the amount the council waste." With a third, Angie Bell added: "There won't be any original places left in Liverpool soon, won't be worth going into city centre."
Epstein Entertainments said requests for council support in the region of £50,000 a year for the next five years were made but were ultimately unsuccessful. They have reported the landlord requires a minimum of five years for a new lease.
As a result the team has been unable to reach an agreement on the costs of the rent and service charge, citing further costs in the form of utility bills, essential theatre maintenance and upgrades, running costs and overheads. The venue managers claim this has become "unworkable" for a venue of its size without financial support.
Artistic and Communications Director Bill Elms told the ECHO it was a “really successful venue” which was playing to over 80% capacity audiences. But the venture has “hit a brick wall” as “the council are not prepared to fund it any further.”
He said: “It is a much loved institution and is another casualty of the city centre. We haven’t walked away from it and we’re open to ideas [to help save the theatre].”
A spokesperson for Liverpool City Council said: "It was decided in 2021 that the cost of more than £100,000 a year in financial support for the Epstein Theatre was unsustainable and, after careful consideration, both the landlord and theatre operator were informed that the Council would be unable to continue this beyond 2023.
"That was not an easy decision. The Council is a huge supporter of the city’s cultural sector and continues to annually invest millions of pounds supporting dozens of venues and organisations, but that support needs to deliver value for money for the tax payer.
"The Council paid for the Epstein Theatre’s restoration and has supported it on an annual basis since 2011. It was hoped that given both the operator and landlord had had more than 18 months to negotiate a new lease arrangement, an amicable solution would be found, between the two parties. It is a huge shame that has not materialised."
All productions up until Friday, June 30 2023 will go ahead as planned. For all productions after Friday 30 June, Epstein Entertainments Ltd has said it will be aiming to transfer performances to other Liverpool City Region venues, adding ticket holders for cancelled performances will receive an automatic refund.
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