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UNCERTAIN future: the council is struggling to find a management company to run the Hippodrome
UNCERTAIN future: the council is struggling to find a management company to run the Hippodrome


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Hippodrome’s final curtain?

Eve Dugdale
16/ 1/2008

THE future of Tameside Hippodrome hangs in the balance after efforts to find a new management company failed.

Staff have been told they face losing their jobs in March — when the Ashton theatre shuts down for refurbishment until the autumn.

A total of 46 staff at the Hippodrome — Tameside’s only professional theatre — face redundancy on 31 March, though there is a hope they can get jobs at other theatres locally.

Tameside Council owns the theatre building. It is currently leased to Live Nation, which has operated the Oldham Road theatre for the past 15 years.

Live Nation is not renewing its lease.

Divisional manager Peter Evans said there would be a chance for the staff to relocate to their other venues in Manchester.

"We haven’t started consultations yet, we were only informed by the council last week," he said.

"Our contract was supposed to terminate in September last year. The council haven’t managed to find a suitable candidate to replace us.

"We extended our contract until 31 March to assist the process.

"The consultations will start in a week and we will do everything in our power to find positions for as many members of staff as we can.

"We still manage the Palace, Opera House and the Apollo and if there are vacancies then that is an option."

Conservative councillor and theatre lover John Bell said the closure was "deeply concerning".

"I hope that this does not mean the death knell for the theatre and that an operator will come in. I think that the council should’ve seen this required maintenance work earlier and should’ve planned it better than they have done.

"I would hate to see this theatre go but it all depends on getting bums on seats and we question whether the public want it or not. If you take something away people are up in arms but they need to support the theatre.

"It would be an absolute travesty if this theatre went. It’s one of the very very few examples of old music hall theatres in this country and it has one of the biggest stages."

Councillor Bell, who is a trustee of Hyde’s Onward Theatre Royal Committee, said that if the Hippdrome closed it could put the campaign to save the Theatre Royal in jeopardy.

"Live Nation are the leaders in live theatre in this country, so if they are pulling out what chance is there that another organisation will step in?"


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Most recent 2 of 3 user comments

   It was on itv's granada reports news last night yet it takes 4 something like this to become a local tv news story before those of us knew we maybe losing what was once 1 of 2 ashton cinemas & since the metro odeon cinema that was before called the odeon on old st closed down,why didnt they anyone think of putting up *save our theatre* posters up in shop windows & have them put through letter boxes.it would of helped had the been bus stops situated close by @ block 1 side or the other of th theatre its too far to walk to/from ashton bus station other towns theatres & venues like manchester have bus stops close by why not ashton its not safe thes days even at night it should be grade listed and renamed its still known by its old theatre name it should be named after someone wellknown or maybe the ashton under lyne theatre but nothing with hippodrome in its name Many tv & comedy stars past & present including the late roy castle & jeremy beadle have both appeared there RC.with his own 1 man show in the 1970's & JB.was in panto in the early-mid 1980's. when it was then known as tameside theatre,a lot of others like the chuckel brothers & ken dodd have been coming back each yr 4 many appeared there each year up to last xmas for many many yrs a few yrs ago ken dodd unveiled a blue plaque which is situated outside the theatre when it was his 25th year there!why dont they start getting a petition signed by all the stars whom have been there each yr asking those whom come back each yr to stil why not ask those stage & tv stars whom have appeared regularly;how about having a local tv telethon or fun runs etc to help raise money so it would then belong to the local town & community? the closin down story on GMTV & ITN or BBC's Main News its already been in the local press 4many months why
stella1927, manchester
27/03/2008 at 18:35
   Is it any wonder? When there is anything on at the H?ippodrome, it is so poorly advertised and on top of that is the awful parking for the place. Last time I went there, my car got broken into along with several others. It is a wonderful theatre, but is in serious need of big name acts of the up to date variety and a bit less of the yesteryear stuff. Also, that colour scheme on the front is down right awful, who on earth picked them colours? But seriously it needs some class acts to make it viable.
Snare Drum 54, Ashton-u-Lyne
20/01/2008 at 13:56
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