More than half a million pounds of funding earmarked for improvements to the Brewhouse Theatre in Taunton has been returned to the Arts Council for England (ACE).
The theatre, run by the Taunton Theatre Association (TTA), closed its doors on Hallowe'en after running into financial difficulties, with 23 members of staff losing their jobs.
The venue had secured £535,000 of ACE funding for improvements to the building - funding which could not be used to fund day-to-day running costs, such as salaries or utility bills.
Following its closure, Somerset Council (which owns the building) has confirmed that this funding has been returned - and said it was working hard with partners to find a way to reopen the venue as soon as possible.
Ian Harris - who played Scrooge in A Christmas Carol at the Brewhouse in 2024 - spoke passionately about the theatre when the council's executive committee met in Taunton on Wednesday morning (November 4).
He said: "Public investment in a theatre such as the Brewhouse is rewarded many times over, and spending multiplies in the local day- and night-time economy.
"It supports tourism, strengthens town centre visitor numbers, boosts business confidence and is a key part of the town's identity.
"The Brewhouse lies at the heart of what Taunton has to offer as a town. Its loss as the premier theatre in the county is simply unthinkable.
"The council is now responsible for the maintenance of an empty theatre; the longer it remains closed, the more vulnerable it is to vandalism and deterioration.
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"Is there a plan in place and a budget to be spent on retaining all of the equipment to enable the swift future reopening of the theatre?"
Kye Dudd, the south west official representative of the actors' union Equity, said: "All the pubs, bars and restaurants around the Brewhouse are going to miss out on income; the same goes for the car parking income the council receives.
"Following the last meeting [of the executive], I got the sense that there was a real keen interest to do something about this, and to try and find a resolution so that the Brewhouse has a long-term future.
"I think it's really important that we maintain the momentum around that and we don't get bogged down in bureaucratic processes.
"I think residents in Somerset will want reassurances that talks are ongoing with operators and funders, and also that the council is examining what it can do directly in its own right in terms of securing a long-term future.
"I think £535,000 of capital funding from ACE was secured for the Brewhouse. Is there anything that the council can do to help secure that money?"
Corrinne Curtis, a professional theatre practitioner from Burnham-on-Sea, added: "The closure of the Brewhouse has far-reaching implications for communities and workers across Somerset and beyond.
"Their workers supported artists and communities well beyond the building itself, with many of us now facing loss of earnings, loss of opportunities and loss of access to arts and culture.
"Many companies like my own rely on partnerships with the Brewhouse to attract funding. Without these partnerships, the ripple effect of the closure will be substantial.
"What is the council going to do to get the theatre up and running again as soon as possible?"
Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts, portfolio holder for communities, climate change and the environment, said that discussions were ongoing between the council and the liquidator over the future of the building and its equipment.
She said: "The TTA's lease remains in place at present and it will continue to be in place until the TTA or its liquidators return it. The council is not currently responsible for the building, security or running costs.
"We have contacted the liquidators to clarify the process and time-scale, and we cannot award a new contract or lease while the current lease is in place and the arrangements for the contents are clear.
"The liquidator's role is to use the company's assets to meet its liabilities, and they may need to sell equipment to pay the debts.
"Selling the theatre contents would make re-opening more difficult, slower and more costly for any future operator. This is one reason we saw early discussions with the liquidator.
"The council has no budget to buy the contents, although previous pledges of public financial support may help."
Ms Smith-Roberts (who represents the Taunton East division) also confirmed that the ACE funding had been returned - but hinted that it would be possible for any future operator to apply afresh for such grants.
She said: "ACE had provided a substantial grant award to the TTA; with them ceasing operations, the award has been withdrawn.
"We have, however, had early engagement with ACE and that suggested it may be available to a future operator if they can demonstrate a similar approach to their programme that TTA did.
"We anticipate it would require a new bid to be submitted by a future operator and, like the initial award, would come with a range of grant conditions.
"As the TTA is a separate organisation to the council, we cannot confirm what arrangements they have made for redundancy payments to their employees. This will be a matter for the liquidator and we unfortunately have no powers to enforce any payments.
"I truly personally believe though it's a pathway through this."
Council leader Bill Revans added: "We look forward to good news, but I understand the legal and democratic processes that we need to go through in order to get the outcome that we all want.
"We are working hard and speaking with partners to be able to work out a route forward that is viable, and we'll make sure that the Brewhouse can reopen as soon as it is feasible."
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