Cleadon Little Theatre calls on public for help as roof repairs needed for historic venue

The chair of Cleadon Little Theatre has called on the public for help in fixing the historic venue’s roof. 

Repairs to the structure of the roof have been valued at anywhere between £36,000 to £50,000, with Maggie Burns MBE asking members of the public to help the iconic building. Ongoing repairs have seen the theatre group dig deep and raise money through charity nights and auctions, but a new roof “wouldn’t be possible” without funding.

Speaking to the Shields Gazette, Maggie said: “We are a registered charity with the Charities Commission and have been for a number of years. Any money we make from the hires- we use to pay our bills and update the theatre. We have improved the heating system, upgraded the seating, put in a small bar, and installed new lighting. 

“We’ve tried to make a theatre that people will continue to support. Unfortunately because of the age of the building -parts of it are in disrepair, mainly the roof. This takes up a lot of our time and money. Over the years we have spent money on repairing the roof, but what we really need is a new roof. 

“Without funding that wouldn’t be possible, the quotes we’ve received start from £36k -£50k. We are doing everything we can to raise money ourselves by doing charity nights, raffles, auctions and our Go Fund page. 

“I believe our Theatre needs to be saved not only because it has been a major part of community life for nearly 80 years, but theatres need to be preserved for future generations. We are living more and more in a virtual world and a live theatre has so much more to offer.”

The theatre is a frequent visiting spot of Coronation Street actor Steven Arnold, who plays Ashley on the long-running soap. Rosie Ramsey has also appeared with an Open Mic night for budding singers, while George Heron runs the adult drama class at the theatre.

Maggie added: “We hire the theatre out to local people who run various children’s activities, we have a weekly adult drama class and have a summer open day every year where the whole village comes together. All these activities keep the theatre at the heart of the community- offering something for everyone.”