Dudley Hippodrome demolition plan criticised by campaigners
Campaigners hoping to keep Dudley Hippodrome in use have criticised plans to demolish it and build a new education centre.
Dudley Council has announced plans to knock down the former theatre and replace it with a “university park”.
Dudley Town’s Fund Board is seeking funding from the Government’s Towns Fund to develop a new education centre in the centre of the town as part of a wider £1 billion regeneration plan.
The facility would be built on the site of the former Hippodrome building at the foot of Castle Hill, next to the Very Light Rail development and Midland Metro extensions.
News of the plans has divided opinion amongst campaigners and public figures.
Mac Scott MBE, a well-known campaigner and supporter of the long-running campaign to save the Hippodrome, said: “I just think the council could do more to support the regeneration of the building, and I think it is a magnificent place and could be so much more with a bit of initiative.
"Sadly, I don’t think a lot of councillors see it that way and see it as something of a white elephant now, so probably don’t want the hassle anymore.
"My view is that it should be refurbished inside and our plan was for it to be open during the day as it’s such a huge place and could be a community theatre.”
Former Dudley MP Ian Austin took to Twitter to respond to a question to him about what could be done to save the venue.
He said: “It’s been empty and derelict for years. Who is going to invest the money needed to bring it back into use?
"How would a theatre in Dudley compete with those in Birmingham or Wolverhampton, especially when Wolverhampton subsidise the Grand with hundreds of thousands a year?
“Dudley is the biggest place in the country with no university campus. It would be great to have a viable theatre, but this has dragged on long enough.
"The council don’t have the funds, the private sector won’t invest in it, so let’s get on with bringing new jobs and industries to the Black Country.”
