30/11/2025
Here at seasons we are deeply saddened by the news of the potential of the theatre being demolished. An email on behalf of seasons has been sent to local councillors and is as follows:
Dear Councillor Johnson, Councillor Prestwood, and Councillor Thornley,
I am writing on behalf of Seasons Theatre Company to express our deep concern regarding the proposed demolition of the Prince of Wales Theatre, and to respectfully urge you to vote against this motion.
For our members, Seasons Theatre Company is far more than a place to perform—it is a vital community where people with learning disabilities, autism, physical disabilities and mental health issues are able to participate in the arts with dignity, independence, and complete equality. The Prince of Wales has been the only local venue capable of meeting the accessibility needs of our performers, providing the space, facilities, and supportive environment essential for them to take part safely and confidently.
There is no alternative theatre in the surrounding area that can adequately accommodate the specific physical requirements of our group. Losing this venue would therefore mean losing the only place where our members can fully engage in the creative and social experiences that have become central to their wellbeing.
For many, the Prince of Wales has been more than just a building—it has been a home. A place where they have found acceptance, purpose, and the freedom to express themselves without barriers. Demolishing this theatre would not simply remove a performance space; it would dismantle the foundation of equality, community, and independence that Seasons Theatre Company has worked so hard to build.
We respectfully and urgently ask that you do not support the demolition. Your decision will profoundly impact some of the most vulnerable members of our community, and we hope you will stand with us in protecting a space that has given so many people a voice and a sense of belonging.
Thank you for taking the time to consider our position. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter further and share more about the essential work that takes place within the Prince of Wales.
Yours sincerely,
Lydia Forrester
Seasons Theatre Company
Yesterday, we sent every single councillor an open letter demanding answers about the proposed demolition of the Prince of Wales Theatre - and today we’re sharing it publicly, because the silence, spin, and evasiveness surrounding this decision have gone far enough. For months, our community has been dismissed, strung along, and treated as an obstacle rather than the people this council is supposed to serve.
The PoW is not “just a building”; it is the heart of our cultural life, a lifeline for mental health, a space that brings people together in a district already struggling with deepening health and social inequalities. Its closure has torn holes in our community, and demolishing it would make that damage permanent. We are angry because we have every right to be - and we will not sit back while those in elected power make decisions behind closed doors and expect us to quietly accept the consequences.
We’re sharing this open letter because accountability should not have to be begged for, and because the people of Cannock deserve to see exactly how hard we’re fighting to protect what belongs to all of us.
The text of the letter is copied below, the link to the email copy is here: https://tinyurl.com/cctt-open-letter-261125
_________________________________________________________________
Dear Councillors,
We write following the recent Cabinet proposal for the inclusion of the Prince of Wales Theatre within the demolition red line for the regeneration programme.
For those of you who attended our briefing sessions in July, who engaged with our campaign materials, or who simply care about the cultural life of this district, we wanted to ensure you understand what this decision represents to your constituents - and to ask whether you believe this truly reflects the will of the people you serve.
The Numbers:
19,781 petition signatures opposing theatre closure
£34,209 raised by the community for theatre preservation
£7,000 awarded by Theatres Trust for planning support
35+ active volunteers committed to community operation
70,000+ annual visitors to the theatre under previous operation
79% - the score awarded by an independent assessor to our CAT bid
21.6% - the score awarded by SLC to the same submission
0 - the number of cultural venues that will remain in Cannock Chase
0 - the right of reply afforded to CCTC
1 - the right of reply afforded to SLC
Fifteen of your thirty-five members (43% of publicly elected officials) attended our July briefings. We presented evidence. We answered questions. Several of you expressed support.
What happened next defied any reasonable expectation of good faith:
Our 65-page rebuttal was excluded from Cabinet papers, on the grounds that it would deny SLC a "right of reply". At Scrutiny, SLC's consultants were permitted to sit and contribute; we were required to observe in silence, with no right to reply. Developments notified to the Council after our submission - including secured underwriting of our mobilisation costs - were not reflected in the assessment. The same consultancy that advised the Council to close the theatre was appointed to assess whether the community could save it.
We met every condition the Council stated publicly. We submitted a viable revenue plan. We secured professional endorsements. We raised community funds. And we were told it wasn't enough.
This theatre was meant to be refurbished. That was the plan. £20 million of Levelling Up funding, a cultural hub, investment in the town centre's night-time economy.
Instead: approximately £18 million allocated on demolition and CPO's, the cultural elements stripped from the scheme, £2 million quietly loaned for leisure centre improvements, and a vote to demolish the theatre. When residents look at the cleared site where the multi-storey car park once stood, and then at the shuttered theatre beside it, what exactly should they conclude about the Council's regeneration priorities?
We understand that not all of you sit on Cabinet. We understand that party discipline constrains individual action.
But we would ask each of you to reflect on this:
Do you believe the assessment process was fair?
Do you believe a 57.8 percentage point discrepancy between two professional assessments was adequately explained before demolition is to be voted upon?
Do you believe Cannock Chase - a district already facing significant deprivation and health inequalities - is better served by zero cultural venues than by one?
If the answer to any of these questions is "no," then what are you prepared to do about it?
Demolition requires planning consent. We will be making representations during that process. We encourage any member who shares our concerns to do the same.
We have published all our documentation at www.princeofwalestheatre.com
Unlike others, we have nothing to hide.
The 20,000 people who signed the petition are watching. They will remember.
Regards,
Peter Sidgwick - Chair | Jamie Norgrove - Vice Chair | Ben Farbrother - Treasurer | Coleen Worrall - Secretary | Andy Moseley
Cannock Chase Theatre Trust
Community Interest Company (CIC)
Company number 16661259
