New council leader to look at theatre's future

A theatre that was set to be demolished could still have a future, following a change of council administration.

The Prince of Wales Theatre in Cannock, Staffordshire, closed in April 2025 as part of regeneration work in the town centre.

The Conservative group on Cannock Chase District Council have since called for talks on the cultural venue to be reopened.

Paul Jones, the new Reform UK leader of the authority following May's local elections, said the council was "looking at the facts and figures".

The previous Labour administration made the controversial decision not to reopen the venue as part of measures to close a £1.3m budget gap.

Jones said: "We have got all the previous plans from the previous administration.

"It is one of our main priorities and we will be open and transparent. It will be apolitical and all parties will be invited in."

A proposal to demolish the theatre was included in the plans to transform the town centre that were considered by the cabinet at the end of last year.

In January, town centre regeneration plans faced a stumbling block after a vote to transfer funds for ongoing work was defeated by opposition councillors.

In an email to fellow elected members across the chamber this month, Conservative group leader, Olivia Lyons, said: "My group, along with many councillors across the political spectrum, remain keen to see the theatre retained and reopened.

"We called in the previous administration's decision to close it, as we feel strongly that this is the wrong direction for Cannock. The issue was also raised frequently during the run‑up to the May elections.

"With that in mind, I met with the Theatres Trust back in April. They are very willing to support the council in exploring a sustainable future for the theatre."

Lyons' proposal has been welcomed by Peter Sidgwick, chair of Cannock Chase Theatre Trust (CCTT), who said he was "encouraged" that the venue was back on the council's agenda.

He added: "We're not looking to relitigate the past. We're looking to get the Prince of Wales open again, and we'd welcome a conversation with any councillor or officer who shares that goal."

The previous district council administration said it commissioned a report to assess a business plan put forward by the CCTT to run the theatre.

Authority bosses said the report highlighted a lack of "operational detail, audience focus and financial realism" in the group's plans for the venue.

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

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