An abandoned Salford theatre has been handed a lifeline with the award of crucial funding.
Salford Victoria Theatre will be assessed to determine whether work can be carried out to restore the Grade II listed building.
Renovations are needed to convert the theatre into a building for community use and ensure its survival.
And Salford Victoria Theatre Trust has made a major breakthrough in safeguarding the iconic venue’s future by securing a £15,000 grant.
The grant funding will enable the trust to undertake necessary early-stage feasibility work to determine the long-term viability of preserving and repurposing the historic theatre building.
The grant mainly focuses on converting local heritage buildings and structures into places for the community they are in.
The fund comes as a part of the Heritage Revival fund, a scheme set up by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as part of a £270 Million Pound investment into the arts.
This grant means the Salford Victoria Theatre Trust will be able to assess what options the building has going forward.
Sam Kelly, Chair of the SVVT, was delighted to learn the trust had been awarded vital funding.
She said:”We are thrilled to receive this support from the Architectural Heritage Fund.
“This grant represents a vital first step in our mission to secure the future of the Victoria Theatre for Salford.”
The trust plans to start the assessment into feasibility for future use immediately and expects it to be completed within the next year.
These works come after years of the building laying unused, failing to sell at auction two years ago.
These plans are a massive win for the Salford Victoria Theatre Trust, who have been working to try and maintain and make the old building, once a staple of entertainment in Salford, relevant again.
