Theatre earmarked for demolition expected to be saved

A theatre threatened with demolition is now expected to be saved.

Following a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Cannock Chase Council said the Prince of Wales Theatre would instead undergo refurbishment.

The decision is subject to detailed design work, an operator being appointed, and a business case being reviewed before a final commitment is made, the authority said.

"Our residents and town centre shop owners told us they want a thriving theatre, so we are doing the right thing for our community," said deputy leader Richard Craddock. "We could not have stood by and seen it razed to the ground – that would have ripped the cultural heart out of our district."

The theatre has been closed since April 2025 to make way for wider regeneration plans in Cannock town centre.

A multi-storey car park and empty shopping centre have already been knocked down.

Craddock said they had "reached a critical juncture" for the town centre's future and wanted to work with other political groups to explore what else could be achieved.

The council has about £14m remaining from government funds secured to help with the wider regeneration work, some of which will be set aside for the theatre.

Joshua McTaggart, CEO of Theatres Trust, described it as "fantastic news" and said the organisation's belief that everyone should have access to theatre was "particularly vital" in areas where the only local one was at risk.

"We added the Prince of Wales to our Theatres at Risk Register in 2025 when the council announced plans to close [it] and we have been in conversation with [them] since then," he said.

"We have impressed upon the council the need to fully understand the benefits the theatre brings to the area and what the impact of its loss would have been."

Work is ongoing to ensure proposals are cost-effective and achievable, the authority added.

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