Express & Star

Sadness at news Dudley Hippodrome will not be used in regeneration plans

A councillor who opposed plans to knock down Dudley Hippodrome has expressed disappointment the theatre will not be used as part of regeneration plans.

Published
Last updated
Ken Dodd (third right) celebrates Dudley Hippodrome's birthday in 1957

Dudley Council chiefs ruled last year the site – and adjacent land and buildings in Castle Hill – would be demolished to make way for a university campus.

It was overwhelming backed by councillors, with one elected official abstaining and Councillor Elaine Taylor being the only one to oppose the proposals.

Campaigners had hoped to save the Art Deco theatre through the intervention of the Government and later by listing the building – but both were rejected.

It means the fight to save the site has reached the end of the road as the "last real hope" of protecting the building was denied, the Theatres Trust confirmed.

Now Councillor Taylor, who represents Netherton, Woodside and St Andrew's, said it was "sad" the venue, built in 1938, was not included as part of the regeneration plans.

She said: "The planning application went through as part of the regeneration project and, in my view, it's a sad day when iconic buildings are not used as part of the regeneration. If there's a possibility it will be used as part of the regeneration, then that should be the way forward.

Dudley Hippodrome is set to be knocked down and replaced with a university campus

"(I'm not sure) whether it's too little, too late (now) but there were things that could've been done earlier but sadly they weren't. Sadly, the planning application has gone through."

Councillor Taylor added campaigners were still trying to overturn the decision and it was a case of waiting and seeing whether anything happens to halt the demolition of the site.

She also raised concerns about the state of other buildings in the borough, including Netherton Arts Centre which she has been trying to save. "This is an iconic building that is going to be gone," she added.

The theatre was built in 1938 and hosted the likes of Laurel and Hardy and Bing Crosby as well as Ken Dodd who was there for the venue's birthday in 1957. But it closed in 1964 and became a Gala bingo hall until that closed in 2009. It has been empty ever since despite attempts to restore the building to its former glory.

Council chiefs have repeatedly insisted all realistic options had been exhausted and the building had been subject to vandalism over the years.

Councillor Simon Phipps, cabinet member for regeneration and enterprise, described it as a "long, drawn-out process" but they owed it "to the people of Dudley and students of the future to get this done" after the news the Government would not intervene.

The university scheme will be funded through the £25 million Towns Fund cash pot awarded to Dudley Council by the Government. It has been drawn up through a partnership between the council, Dudley College of Technology, University of Worcester, tourist attractions and other organisations in the town.

The University of Worcester will oversee the teaching and learning at the site which is expected to be up and running by the autumn of 2024.

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.