Closure of Prince of Wales Theatre 'will be devastating' says director

Andy Reiss has taken to social media to back a campaign to save the Prince of Wales Theatre in Cannock which is set to disappear in 2025. 

The theatre was earmarked for closure as part of Cannock Chase Council's attempts to close a £1.5 million pay gap for the 2025/26 year. 

The Beyond the Barricade director, who grew up in Hednesford, said: "This is regarding the proposed closure of the Prince of Wales Theatre in Cannock, which is pretty devastating news for me personally because it is the theatre where I did the grounding in musical theatre.

"I had many a fantastic time there performing and of course, Beyond the Barricade were there just a few days ago announcing that we would be opening the theatre again after its refurb.

"Now the council have decided that that's not going to happen and they're going to close it full-time."

The theatre will be subjected to a four-week consultation period, to begin on Friday, where it will be decided if it will be closed after April 2025.

The director continued: "There is a consultation period, but we don't know what is going to happen about that. 

"This is all about generating some response regarding keeping that vibrant gorgeous theatre alive. Yes it still needs a refurb, but the Cannock Chase area cannot lose this. 

"That also goes for the Museum of Cannock Chase, which tells the story of the people of Cannock Chase and the mining community. These are valuable assets to the community. Please help out."

More than 12,000 people have taken the chance to sign a change.org petition calling for both the theatre and the museum to be saved, with the petition reaching 10,000 signings within only one day of the petition starting.

Talking about the decision to close both sites, Council leader Tony Johnson, said keeping the Museum of Cannock Chase open at its current location was one of the administration's priorities, however, that it is an "extremely difficult decision."

Speaking ahead of tonight's cabinet meeting, he said: "My family association with the site of the museum goes back generations.

“My grandfather worked at the Valley Pit. My place of birth was within a few hundred yards of the location.

“I started my first full-time job there when it was the Valley Training Centre – and I did part of my deputy and my shot firing training at the site. It was also in my portfolio as it became the Valley Heritage Centre and then our museum.

“I was the portfolio holder for Leisure and Culture in the late 1990s, and early 2000s, when the Prince of Wales was thriving and have enjoyed visiting the theatre on many occasions as a customer or on council business.

“Nobody wants to be in this position – it is an extremely difficult decision to have to make. But alternatives, such as inflation busting taxes that would hit every household, including those already struggling to make ends meet, or reducing or cutting services which many residents and businesses rely on, is not one we want to contemplate."

A cabinet meeting is to be held at the Cannock Council Chambers, Civic Centre, at 6pm tonight.

More information on the petition and for ways to sign, visit the Change.org website.