Wyre Cabinet agrees new operator be found to run Fleetwood's Marine Hall

A commercial operator is to be sought to run Fleetwood’s Marine Hall for an initial period of five years.

Wyre Council’s cabinet agreed to begin the tender process during its meeting on February 14, after an independent report by consultants GJG found that the council’s two theatres were “underperforming”.

The cabinet also agreed with the recommendation to appoint a theatre consultant, costing £30,000, to rollout the short-term plans.

This will be funded from the value for money reserve.

The council says its aim is to ensure the Marine Hall, and the smaller Thornton Little Theatre, have a brighter, sustainable future.

It plans to do this by providing a more varied programme of events and activities at both centres.

The cabinet also agreed that approval be given to authorise the corporate director of communities to enter into a lease for Thornton Little Theatre.

Wyre Council leader Coun Michael Vincent was asked about the future of the Marine Hall by Fleetwood member Coun Ruth Duffy should the tender process not succeed.

He told her at the meeting that the Marine Hall would still remain open if no bidder was found to run it.

The meeting heard that a public consultation exercise last year found that around 60 per cent of the respondents thought another operator should be found to run the theatres.

Many of the acts over the course of recent years have been tribute performers and a more varied programme was now preferred.

In a report to the cabinet, the council was told: “GJG recommend that the council makes immediate changes to the way the Marine Hall is managed to address the significant underperformance and to secure the venue’s future success.

“It was felt that these actions are needed regardless of the chosen future operating model as they are likely to ensure that the theatre is better run while under the council’s control and more attractive to potential commercial operators.”