Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre is set to close its doors at the end of this month.
The Grade II-listed theatre has been a staple of the city centre’s cultural scene since it originally opened as a performance space back in 1913.
It was reopened under its current name in tribute to The Beatles’ late former manager Brian Epstein following a £1.2 million redevelopment project.
But the venue will no longer operate from June 30 after Liverpool City Council ended their historic arrangement due to unprecedented financial pressures.
The local authority own the freehold of Hanover House where the Epstein is housed and lease the entire building to a commercial property landlord.
As part of the previous deal, the council sub-leased the theatre back in a move which preserved its continued operation despite threats of closure.
Epstein Entertainments Ltd were awarded the contract to operate the Epstein Theatre on behalf of the council in October 2018.
In the previous management agreement, the council covered a proportion of the rent, service charge, utilities, and maintenance work up to this date.
Since the 1960’s the council has always financially supported and subsidised the theatre, currently this figure is in excess of £100,000 per year.
Further requests for Liverpool City Council’s support of £50,000 per year, for the next five years to save the venue have been unsuccessful.
All productions up until 30 June will go ahead as planned while the theatre’s management aim to transfer future performances to other venues in the Liverpool City Region.
Ticket holders for cancelled performances will receive an automatic refund.
Bill Elms, Artistic and Communications Director, said: “This closure is a huge loss for the Liverpool City Region.
“We are inundated with daily requests from programmers and theatre companies wanting to use the venue.
“Since we took over, we have worked tirelessly and turned the venue around, from coming out of a pandemic, to playing to over 80% capacity houses.
“But it’s sadly just not enough.
“The costs to cover the rent, rates, service charges, utility bills, general maintenance, and essential constant upgrades required in the old historic building makes the proposed offer untenable.
“It’s heart-breaking that the theatre is forced to close when there is such positive signs of growth and stability.
“It’s a unique venue, an historic gem and a venue that fill’s a huge gap in the current Liverpool theatre landscape as a mid-scale receiving house.
“We have fought and thought of everything we can to keep the theatre open, right up to the very last minute.
“But without financial support, the costs are simply unworkable for us, or for any other operator, to work with.”