Burnley Council, the Burnley Empire Theatre Trust and The Theatres Trust are working together to establish whether it would be viable to develop the Grade II listed Burnley Empire theatre.
Burnley Council has agreed to put in £5,000 towards the cost of a viability study. Further funding is now being sought towards the cost of the full study. This follows recent discussions, co-ordinated by The Theatres Trust, to secure its future.
Burnley Empire has appeared on the Theatres Trust Theatre Buildings at Risk Register for eight years. Designed by local Burnley architect G B Rawcliffe, the building was reconstructed and enlarged in 1911 by renowned theatre architect Bertie Crewe.
The building, which it is believed served as the wartime home to the Old Vic, Sadler’s Wells Ballet and Sadler’s Wells Opera, has now lain vacant for more than 20 years but, with appropriate investment, could be restored for the local community.