THE transfer of the Swan Theatre from the city council to Worcester Theatres is a “step change” in the relationship between the two organisations, councillors have heard.
Council leader Lynn Denham said the relationship has been “difficult” in recent years.
A new 99-year-lease has been agreed for the community asset transfer of the theatre.
The move is hoped to secure the long-term future of the building and will see Worcester Theatres pay a peppercorn rent of £1 a year to the council.
“There were negotiations for a lease in 2017 which were put on hold when the bid for the Future High Streets Fund went in and the bid for the Scala went in,” Cllr Denham told a meeting of the council’s Policy and Resources committee on Tuesday (July 30).
“The Swan Theatre is much more than just a building and is more than just a perceived problem. It absolutely has a place in the artistic life, the cultural life of our city and that hasn’t always been recognised by this council.”
Deputy leader Jabba Riaz said the decision could be seen as the council “washing its hands” of the Swan Theatre - but that’s not the case.
“I think somewhere along the line, due to past political decisions, the relationship with Worcester Theatres has broken down,” said Cllr Riaz.
“They are a valuable asset to this city. They bring in thousands of visitors across the year and provide a great service.
“Our leadership is about collaboration and Worcester Theatres are a key part of what we want to offer our city.
“This request here has come from the board [of Worcester Theatres]. They’re happy with it, they want it. It enables them to expand their offering within the city.
“We also need to give credit to them. They’ve got a healthy amount of reserves in there - they are not poor by any stretch of the imagination. They’ve managed their affairs well.”
Sarah-Jane Morgan, chief executive of Worcester Theatres, had previously said the new lease would “allow us to feel a real security for our charity, support our ambitions for the long-term plans of the building and enable us to appeal for more funding, aiding us to continue to deliver a wide and diverse programme of events”.
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