There have already been four serious expressions of interest by parties interested in taking over the Secombe Theatre in Sutton and Charles Cryer Studio Theatre in Carshalton.
The deadline for outline business cases to be submitted is 31 October 2014. These will be included in the Theatres and Halls report which will be presented to the council’s Environment and Neighbourhoods committee meeting on 6 November 2014.
Advice for potential business bids is available from The Theatres Trust and Sutton Centre for the Voluntary Sector which has already been contacted by several of the interested parties.
The advice and followed a meeting on 15 September headed up by Councillor Jill Whitehead and the council’s Director of Environment and Neighbourhoods, Mary Morrissey.
Feedback from the meeting and other information is available on the Sutton’s Future web site.
The current season of events and bookings will continue until 31 March 2015 and two full-time, interim staff are being recruited to ensure day-to-day running continues. If the venues are saved, their positions will be made permanent.
The public consultation on the future of the theatres ends this week. To take part, go to www.suttonsfuture.org
The council is having to make £72m in budget savings. It has already made £32m in savings and must make a further £40m in savings.
These savings are being forced by unprecedented reductions in funding from central government and growing demand for council services such as adult social care. This means frontline services will be affected. Every theatre visit costs the council an average of £5.65 to subsidise which we can no longer sustain.
Jill Whitehead, chair of the Environment and Neighbourhoods Committee, said:
“Contrary to claims, no decisions have been taken. They are at the heart of our community so ideally we would prefer community groups or a professional theatres firm to take them over.
“They mean a lot to all of us but we are facing cuts of £40m. Sadly, if no-one steps in with a viable bid they will have to close which we will deeply regret.”