The public are being invited to a special Open Day this weekend to celebrate 117 years to the day since the opening of the grand Eccles Crown Theatre.
Balloons and bunting will be strewn across the front of the Victorian theatre on Liverpool Road and special 117th ‘birthday’ cakes have been donated to community campaigners.
Read: MP backs no demolition plan for Eccles Crown Theatre
From 12 noon until 2pm at the Nur Malaysia cafe on Liverpool Road the Save the Crown Theatre group will bring residents and theatre-lovers up to date with the latest news on the Grade II-listed building.
“Some people think it’s just scruffy and needs pulling down,” said Jon Grieves.
“We’re going to show everyone that our idea to bring it back into use for the whole community isn’t a pipe dream.”
The building was opened to the public as the Lyceum Theatre on 27 February 1899 to host plays, theatre and stage shows.
Community campaigners want to save the Grade II-listed frontage and plan to raise enough funds to buy back the theatre from developers to bring it back into public use.
Read: Mural painters kickstart Save The Lyceum campaign
The theatre’s name was changed to The Crown Theatre in 1907.
It became a cinema in 1932 and then a bingo hall in 1963, finally closing its doors due to lack of trade in 1990.
Since then the building has been left open to the elements, falling into total disrepair.
SalfordOnline.com filmed the partial demolition of the theatre here and here.
The theatre site itself is owned by developer David Monks.
It’s understood Monks would be willing to sell if campaigners can show they have the money in the bank, and have the backing of Salford City Council.
A controversial planning application to demolish the entire theatre – including the intricately detailed Grade-II listed frontage – and replace it with 95 flats caused uproar locally when it was submitted in October 2015.
Eccles Crown Theatre: New plans to knock down historic Salford building for 95 flats, shop and ‘community space’
Read: 95 flats on Eccles Crown Theatre site ‘ugly and won’t work’ campaigners argue
An updated planning application is expected to be submitted by Indigo Planning in the next few weeks.
Join community campaigners at Nur Malaysia cafe on Liverpool Road from 12 noon on Saturday 27 February.
Free tea, coffee and cake will be available.
Images by Rob Siddall
