After being closed for over a year amid an outcry in 2023, Oldham’s Coliseum theatre is set to reopen thanks to a successful campaign to save it. Actor Julie Hesmondhalgh led the campaign, with the historic theatre’s doors to be opened again in time for Christmas 2025 following a £10m refurbishment. Hesmondhalgh, known for her roles in TV shows like Coronation Street and Mr Bates vs the Post Office, said she was “absolutely over the moon” with the decision.
The Coliseum had been forced to close after Arts Council England withdrew its funding due to concerns over its management, while the local council stated that the building was “no longer fit for purpose”. However, Oldham Borough Council has now scrapped plans to replace it with a smaller £24m venue and decided to refurbish the existing building instead.
Hesmondhalgh, alongside her husband Ian Kershaw and several locals, held fortnightly campaign meetings in a function room above an Italian restaurant around the corner from the theatre. A number of stars who had performed at the Coliseum lent their support by appearing in a short film earlier this year, including Suranne Jones, Christopher Eccleston, Maxine Peake, Mina Anwar, Lisa Riley, Siobhan Finneran, and Dame Sian Phillips.
Council leader Arooj Shah said that locals had “an affection for this building that you can’t ignore,” acknowledging that the decision was not “about money.” To counter concerns about the venue’s financial viability, the council asserted that the two projects were different and could not be compared. The refurbishment will see the removal of asbestos and the installation of improved facilities for accessibility, as well as enhanced backstage and front-of-house facilities
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