Three historic Merseyside buildings 'at risk' of being lost forever
Three historic Merseyside buildings are at risk of severe day, irreversible changes or demolition, according to the Theatres Trust.
The UK’s national advisory public body for theatres, the Theatres Trust campaigns to protect historic performance spaces and releases an annual Theatres at Risk Register. 44 theatres feature on the 2025 list, including 13 in the North West.
Each building on the list has ‘strong architectural merit, cultural heritage or value to the local community as performance venues’ and the Theatres Trust says they all have the ‘potential to be revived for their local communities with the right support’.
Merseyside buildings at risk
Among them is Liverpool’s much-loved Epstein Theatre, which was forced to close in 2023 due to ‘unworkable costs’. The Grade II listed theatre in Hanover House began operating as a performance space since 1913, reopening as the Epstein Theatre in 2011 following a major refurbishment.
In a management agreement made in 2018, Liverpool City Council had agreed to pay for a proportion of the Epstein's rent, service charge, utilities and maintenance work, which was costing the local authority in excess of £100,000 per year.
The agreement came to an end in 2023 and Epstein Entertainments Ltd were unable to reach a workable agreement on costs with the landlord. The entertainment company said requests for Liverpool City Council to provide £50,000 per year, for the next five years, were made but ultimately denied.
Southport's Garrick Theatre was added to the Theatres at Risk Register in 2022 after Mecca Bingo announced it would not be reopening the venue. Opening in 1932, the theatre changed to a bingo hall in 1963 and remained in operation until the Covid-19 lockdowns on 2020.
Theatres Trust say they believe it could operate as a theatre once more, however, in July 2023 the new owner submitted a planning application for a mixed-use development for the venue, including a hotel, gym/spa facility, bar and restaurant and residential units along with refurbishment of the auditorium for use as an events space. The plans were approved in 2024.
The Garston Empire has been on the register since 2009, after being built in 1915 but only operating as a theatre for three years. Later used as a cinema and bingo hall, the building has been vacant for sixteen years and is currently up for sale. Planning permission is needed to demolish the venue, but the Theatres Trust are concerned that the building 'will be lost to commercial redevelopment'.