Harlequin Theatre given reopening date after £4.5m RAAC removal agreed
The theatre, cinema and community space has been shut since September 2023
The Harlequin Theatre in Redhill finally has a target reopening date after being forced to suddenly close in 2023 when it was found to be riddled with dangerous crumbly concrete.
The theatre, cinema and community space has been shut since September 2023 when reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was discovered at the popular Redhill hub.
Since then its future has hung in the balance and in January this year was placed on a national list of venues at risk of permanent closure due to “severe structural or safety issues, or redevelopment proposals”.
Now, finally, Reigate and Banstead Borough Council’s executive agreed a path forward at its Thursday, June 19 meeting – and will set aside £4.5m to remove the RAAC from the theatre’s roof in what senior councillors said will eliminate the risk of its doors having to close again.
If everything goes to schedule, the council expects the theatre to reopen in late Spring 2027.
Plans to modernise the theatre, which could have run concurrently with repair works as part of a previously announced £10m project have been put on hold.
The council said it wants to consider whether it should hand over control to a private group.
This, the meeting was told, would save the theatre from any future funding cuts – a situation made more complicated by the impending mergers of councils in Surrey.
The council had considered simply remediating the problem – which would have left the RAAC in place – as Surrey County Council did with the adjoining and already reopened library – but ultimately decided the risk was not worth taking.
Councillor Ben Green, portfolio holder for finance and assets, said the desire was to reopen the theatre as soon as possible but admitted the “elephant in the room” was that “many people had been justifiably upset or angry with the council’s delay in delaying with the RAAC issue.”
He said: “There is no escaping that this matter is complicated to resolve, there are plenty of legitimate criticisms that can be levelled at it.
“The reality is that we are not going to find a solution that satisfies everybody, Some want to do the bare minimum remediation of RAAC, some want to remove the RAAC and reopen immediate action, some want to remove and renovate.”
He added: “It was this very inability to reach consensus which has caused delay, because, fundamentally none of those opinions are wrong. There is no correct answer here there is no perfect way to resolve this issue.
“While we may not be able to make a decision that everyone is going to agree with, we will make the best decision we can to authorise work to start as soon as possible after today and to just get on with it.”
Cllr Shelly Newton, portfolio holder for leisure and culture, said: “Fixing the Harlequin isn’t just about getting the doors open, its about keeping them open for good.”
She said removing the RAAC would be the best option to securing its long-term future and create a viable future for a thriving community asset.
The councillor said both patching or removing would result in the doors reopening but “the best way to protect those doors from closing again is through (removal)”.
The decision was broadly supported by opposition groups who said it was good the council has given a firm position.
However they warned that work must start quickly and the project shored up before Reigate and Banstead Borough Council is merged and its powers to decide the theatre’s future lost.
Councillor Jonathan Essex said: “We welcome this, it’s brilliant for Redhill.
“We just need to make sure we get our skates on. People have been frustrated and concerned over the delays. They’ve seen the library reopen and asked where the progress is for the Harlequin.
“We need to provide the arts centres and music venue so we can celebrate and live locally.
“Now we need to get it done as soon as possible.”
The committee also approved allocating £1 million to make Unit 5 in The Rise, Redhill, into a permanent arts and cultural facility.