Chris Gilmartin, Cannock Socialist Party
So it’s official. Cannock Chase Council is demolishing the Prince of Wales Theatre.
This is a massive cultural hit to the working class of Cannock. Our museum’s already gone – what’s next?
It’s a place many young people of the local area found their confidence and discovered their dreams. A safe place for locals to spend time and money in the local area.
Cannock Chase Labour council has gone back on many things in this ‘redevelopment’. The theatre was originally due to be refurbished, using £20 million levelling-up funds, not demolished.
The nearest permanent theatre is now Lichfield or Stafford, with poor public transport links. Expensive private alternatives are not viable in the current cost-of-living crisis. There have been vague promises of the council building a replacement cultural space. But nothing is guaranteed.
The council claims it can’t afford to subsidise the theatre. Never mind that the council’s ‘cost-cutting’ consultants SLC have overestimated this by 40%. The real subsidy in the theatre’s last year is only £111,000.
Cannock Chase District Council currently holds over £15 million in reserves. In the short term, they could fund the ongoing activities of the theatre.
A council that fought for local residents would draw up a plan based on expanding and restoring art and culture, alongside other public services. It could mobilise people in Cannock Chase to demand central government pays the bill. People like the dozens who protested outside the cabinet meeting that signed off the demolition of the theatre in December, or the 20,000 who signed a petition to save it.
We haven’t seen this approach from Labour councillors in Cannock. We need candidates in the 2026 elections who will.
