18/08/2025
Read this and weep! Then write to your councillor demanding action.
The Prince of Wales Theatre needs YOUR help.
Local volunteers have worked so hard on a plan to save it, but there's confusion about whether it's viable - two experts came to very different conclusions.
The council will discuss on Sept 4th. Please read this and consider contacting your councillor.
Your Theatre. Your Voice. Your Last Chance.
The overwhelming support we've received this week has been extraordinary. You have shared memories, offered help, and shown that the Prince of Wales Theatre remains the beating heart of our community. Your passion reminds us why we're fighting - and why we can't give up now.
But let's be honest: last week's council announcement was devastating. After months of volunteer work - sacrificing evenings, weekends, and time with our families - we were told our vision scored just 21.2%.
๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ'๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ป'๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ: ๐๐ป ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐
๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ต%.
Two professional evaluations. Same proposal. One scores 79%, calling it "very impressive". The other scores 21%, calling it unviable.
Something has gone seriously wrong here.
The independent specialist - funded by the nationally respected Theatres Trust - praised our "clear and well-laid out vision", our "sensible and informed" strategies, and our "real understanding" of theatre management. So how did the council's consultant reach such a dramatically different conclusion?
Even more concerning: To our knowledge, councillors have not had the opportunity to review our assessment responses, let alone our business plan, as we were not allowed to submit it, so they have not had opportunity to form their own opinion on our plans. They're being asked to make a decision that will define Cannock's cultural future based solely on one consultant's interpretation - an interpretation that conflicts wildly with another professional assessment.
The Prince of Wales Theatre is where generations of Cannock families have laughed, cried, and dreamed together. It's where your children took their first bow. Where you discovered that magic happens when the lights dim and the curtain rises.
Two years ago, the council promised a ยฃ20 million regeneration with the theatre at its heart. Today, they're demolishing our town centre with no published vision for what comes next. Just empty space where memories should be made.
๐ช๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ณ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐. ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ป'๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ.
We believe many councillors genuinely care about Cannock's future but may not have the full picture. The scoring discrepancy demands explanation. The community deserves transparency. And there's still time to find a better way forward.
We're not asking for confrontation - we're asking for conversation. We're not demanding subsidies - we're offering sustainable solutions. We're not naรฏve dreamers - we're former teachers, senior managers, safeguarding specialists, business owners, with professional expertise and a robust plan.
In the spirit of complete transparency, we will be publishing everything at www.princeofwalestheatre.com in the coming days - our assessment responses, our vision, and yes, our actual business plan. Judge for yourselves whether we deserve 21% or 79%.
The council gave us an ultimatum: withdraw quietly, or have the damaging report published. We chose transparency. We chose to keep going. We chose you.
On 4th September, your elected councillors will vote. ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐. ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐ผ๐. ๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐, ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ผ๐.
Contact your councillor today. Tell them:
- What the theatre means to you
- You want them to review all evidence, not just one report
- The 58% scoring gap needs investigation before any final decision
- Cannock deserves better than cultural demolition
Be firm but respectful. Share your memories and your hopes. Ask them to look at our actual proposals before voting to destroy generations of cultural heritage. You can find your local councillor contact details at link.princeofwalestheatre.com/councillors
We're volunteers who've given everything we have because we believe in our town. We're exhausted, frustrated, but absolutely determined. This isn't about us - it's about ensuring Cannock's children have the same opportunities we had. It's about refusing to let our community's heart be ripped out to balance a spreadsheet.
The council holds the power, but you hold influence. Every email matters. Every phone call counts. Every voice could tip the balance.
๐๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐'๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ:
- Watched your child's face light up at their first show
- Performed on that stage
- Joined as a family to enjoy a show and made memories to last a lifetime
- Believed that culture makes communities thrive
- Wanted Cannock to be more than just another forgotten town
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐บ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐.
It was the council that voted to close the theatre, not us. The final curtain hasn't fallen yet, but the 4th of September is coming fast. ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ธ ๐ป๐ผ๐, ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ.
