Campaigners have pleaded with council bosses to protect the future of live theatre in North Shields.
More than 1,000 people have signed a petition calling for the Exchange Theatre to be saved, with the charity which runs it set to be evicted after seven years at the listed building. Performing arts union Equity staged a rally outside the Howard Street site on Tuesday lunchtime, demanding that North Tyneside Council commit in writing that live theatre will continue to be performed at the Exchange under its new operator.
The centre is due to undergo a renovation by new leaseholders Stonebanks Investments, which has promised a “jam-packed cultural programme” for the revamped Saville Exchange. Dominic Bascombe, Equity regional official for North East, Yorkshire and Humberside, said that the people of North Shields “deserve a local theatre in the heart of their community”.
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He added: “If the council is serious about a good cultural offer for North Shields, it should be no problem to make live theatre at the Exchange and use of Equity contracts a condition of the lease. We hope the council and the new operator see sense and work with the union to keep good jobs and good culture alive in North Shields.”
Union organiser Ellie Drake told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that Equity was “feeling positive” after talks with the council over recent weeks, but wanted binding commitments from the local authority. The Exchange Theatre charity announced last month that it would be closing, having lost out in a council tender process and failed to reach an agreement with the building’s new leaseholder to keep using the building’s auditorium or other spaces.
Liz Blackshaw, Northern secretary for the Trades Union Congress, attended Tuesday’s demonstration and said: “In the midst of a cost of living crisis, the last thing we want here is to deprive people of the opportunity to see live theatre and entertainment in their community. For so many people to have signed the petition to save the Exchange shows how important it is.
“I walked here past the billboards showcasing the regeneration of the Fish Quay and the council should be doing the same for the cultural vitality of North Shields, which live theatre is critical to. And there is a need for good jobs in the theatre as well.”
An Equity delegation also travelled to the North Tyneside Council HQ at the Cobalt Business Park to deliver their petition to elected mayor Dame Norma Redfearn.
Paul Stonebanks OBE, of Stonebanks Investments, said: “As well as working to guarantee all previous bookings made under The Exchange Theatre Charity, we are looking to finalise a jam-packed cultural programme for the benefit of everyone including arts, music and theatre, which will be announced soon.
“We are also in the process of negotiating a ten-year agreement with a local expert bar and restaurant group which will secure existing jobs and bring a further 15 full time equivalent roles in the coming months with more to follow. Within the Saville Exchange, we are looking to secure 10-year rental deals on two large offices, bringing another 40 full-time roles to The Exchange and its local community in 2023/24.”
John Sparkes, the council’s director of regeneration and economic development, said the Exchange was “central” to major investment plans for North Shields. He added: “Stonebanks are prepared to invest significantly into the Grade II listed building and grow the cultural offer and support our wider ambitions for the town centre. The Exchange will remain open during the interior investment plans Stonebanks will be carrying out in the building, meaning the programme of events and services will remain in place.
“Stonebanks have confirmed that all staff have been offered to continue their employment going forward, and all existing bookings will be honoured as a priority, to ensure the delivery of North Shields' cultural offer continues uninterrupted. We're working closely with the preferred operator on the transfer of the building and look forward to seeing this cultural landmark flourish in the future."
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