Oldham Coliseum Theatre
A historic theatre and former cinema in Oldham, Greater Manchester, known for circus, music hall, repertory theatre and regional touring productions.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Oldham Coliseum Theatre is a historic performing-arts venue on Fairbottom Street in the centre of Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. Its origins date to 1885, when joiner Thomas Whittaker constructed a permanent timber home for Myer's Grand American Hippodrome Circus. When the original Henshaw Street site was threatened by redevelopment, Whittaker dismantled the building and moved it to Fairbottom Street. The reconstructed venue reopened on 16 June 1887 as the Colosseum, presenting circus entertainment before receiving a theatre licence and staging The Two Orphans later that summer. The venue has repeatedly changed format in response to shifts in popular entertainment and local ownership. In 1903 it was acquired by Peter Yates, associated with the Yates's Wine Lodges business, and converted into a music hall. The programme later included short films, and the building was sold to Dobie's Electric Theatres in 1918. In 1931 William Cedric Bailey converted it into the Colosseum Super 'Talkie' Theatre. That cinema venture was short-lived: the auditorium opened in March 1931 but closed later the same year, briefly reopened with American films, and shut permanently as a cinema in January 1932. The building remained unused until 1939, when the Oldham Repertory Theatre Club took a lease. The club modernised the façade, added dressing rooms, created a new stage and reduced the capacity from the original approximately 3,000 seats to about 670. The venue reopened in July 1939 as the Coliseum Theatre, initially operating as a theatre club and subsequently as a public theatre. Further rebuilding in 1964–1966 replaced surviving timber sections with masonry, removed the projection box, introduced a new proscenium and safety curtain, and modernised the exterior. A rebuilt stage house, fly tower and orchestra pit followed in 1974. Oldham Council acquired the theatre in 1977 and operated it as a touring house. A major refurbishment and extension completed in 2012 added an education studio and café-bar, supporting both professional performances and community engagement. The theatre became associated with regional repertory, touring drama, comedy, music and educational activity, and was an important cultural institution for Oldham and the wider North-West of England. The venue faced a major financial crisis after Arts Council England withdrew its annual grant in late 2022. In February 2023, its trustees stated that full-time operation was no longer financially viable. The closure was confirmed in March, and the final performance, Encore, took place on 31 March 2023. Oldham Council initially proposed replacing the building with a smaller theatre. Following a public campaign led by actor Julie Hesmondhalgh, a different plan was announced in July 2024: refurbishment of the existing Coliseum using pledged funding of approximately £10 million. The reopening timetable has subsequently been subject to delay because of construction and structural issues, with council statements and project updates pointing to reopening no earlier than 2026 and potentially later. The theatre's long-term status therefore remains dependent on the completion and financing of the refurbishment programme.
History
The building began as a timber circus venue constructed in 1885 by joiner Thomas Whittaker for Myer's Grand American Hippodrome Circus. Whittaker assumed ownership when the circus proprietor could not pay for the construction. Because the original site on Henshaw Street was threatened by plans for a market, the structure was dismantled and reconstructed on Fairbottom Street in central Oldham. It reopened on 16 June 1887 with Culleen's Circus under the name Colosseum. Contemporary descriptions highlighted its substantial stage, balcony, separate audience entrances and refreshment facilities, and provision for circus horses, which could reach the stage through an under-gallery passage. After relicensing, it formally presented theatre, including The Two Orphans on 29 August 1887. In 1903 Peter Yates acquired the venue and transformed it into a music hall. Charlie Chaplin was among the performers associated with its music-hall era. Short films were also shown from the early twentieth century. The property changed hands again in 1918, when Dobie's Electric Theatres acquired it. In 1931 William Cedric Bailey remodelled it as the Colosseum Super 'Talkie' Theatre, removing the stage house and installing a projection box. The cinema opened on 23 March with Two Worlds, but failed commercially and closed in October. A short-lived reopening with imported films followed, before the cinema shut permanently in January 1932. The empty building was revived in 1939 by the Oldham Repertory Theatre Club. The club commissioned changes to the frontage, built dressing rooms on the former stable site and adapted part of the auditorium to create a new stage. Seating was reduced to approximately 670. The venue reopened in July 1939 as the Coliseum Theatre, first as a club and later as a public repertory theatre. Renovations between 1964 and 1966 replaced remaining timber fabric with masonry and improved the stage, safety equipment and façade. In 1974 the stage house was rebuilt with a fly tower, and an orchestra pit was added. Oldham Council purchased the theatre in 1977 and operated it as a touring venue. A further refurbishment in 2012 added an education studio and café-bar, broadening its role beyond performances to include learning and community activity. The Coliseum subsequently functioned as a regional cultural venue with repertory, touring and educational work. Its financial position deteriorated after Arts Council England withdrew annual funding in late 2022. Trustees announced in February 2023 that full-time operation was not financially sustainable, and the theatre closed after Encore on 31 March. Oldham Council initially considered demolishing or replacing it with a smaller theatre. A campaign led by Julie Hesmondhalgh helped shift the policy toward retaining and refurbishing the historic building. In July 2024 the council announced a refurbishment plan supported by approximately £10 million in pledged funds. Later project updates indicated delays linked to construction and unexpected structural conditions. The reopening was first associated with a 2025 target, then moved to 2026 and potentially later. The venue's future identity remains that of a heritage regional theatre, but its operating status depends on the completion of the redevelopment.
- 2024
Refurbishment plan announced
[1]A campaign helped secure a plan to retain and refurbish the existing building rather than replace it with a smaller theatre.
- 2023
Closure
[1]After the loss of regular arts funding, the theatre closed following Encore on 31 March.
- 2012
Refurbishment and extension
[1]The venue gained an education studio and café-bar as part of a refurbishment and extension.
- 1977
Acquired by Oldham Council
[1]The council acquired the theatre and reopened it as a touring house.
- 1974
Stage house rebuilt
[1]A new fly tower and orchestra pit were added during a further stage redevelopment.
- 1964
Major structural modernisation begins
[1]Work carried out through 1966 replaced timber sections with masonry and modernised the stage and exterior.
- 1939
Reopens as a repertory theatre
[1]The Oldham Repertory Theatre Club renovated and reopened the building as the Coliseum Theatre.
- 1931
Short-lived cinema conversion
[1]William Cedric Bailey converted the venue into the Colosseum Super 'Talkie' Theatre, but the cinema closed permanently in early 1932.
- 1903
Conversion to music hall
[1]Peter Yates acquired the building and changed its primary use to music hall entertainment.
- 1887
Reopens on Fairbottom Street
[1]The reconstructed venue opened on 16 June as the Colosseum and later received a theatre licence.
Products and positioning
A historic regional theatre serving Oldham and Greater Manchester through repertory, touring and community-focused performing arts.
Theatre and touring performance · 1939
Main auditorium programme
The Coliseum's principal offering has been a programme of repertory theatre, touring drama, comedy, music and variety performances. Across its modern history the venue operated as a regional receiving house and presented work for audiences in Oldham and Greater Manchester.
Arts education · 2012
Education and community programmes
The 2012 extension included an education studio, enabling the theatre to support workshops, participation projects and learning activity alongside its professional programme. These activities formed part of the venue's civic and cultural role in Oldham.
Venue hospitality · 2012
Café-bar and audience services
A café-bar was added during the 2012 refurbishment and extension, giving the venue an ancillary hospitality offer and a more flexible social space for audiences and community users.
Marketing campaigns
- 2023Save Oldham Coliseum campaign
United Kingdom
A public campaign sought to prevent permanent closure and preserve the historic theatre after its funding crisis and final performance in March 2023. Actor Julie Hesmondhalgh was identified as a leading figure in the campaign.
Outcome. The campaign contributed to the later decision to pursue refurbishment of the existing building rather than replace it with a smaller theatre.
Brand decisions
2024
Council chooses refurbishment over replacementStrategyBackground
Oldham Council had considered replacing the closed venue with a smaller theatre, but public campaigning and pledged funding supported retaining the historic building.
Action taken
The council announced a refurbishment programme for the existing Coliseum, supported by approximately £10 million in pledged funds.
Aftermath
The reopening schedule was subsequently delayed, with reported structural and construction problems affecting completion.
Pledged refurbishment funding. £10 million (2024 announcement)
2023
Trustees decide to end full-time operationStrategyBackground
The decision followed the withdrawal of the theatre's regular Arts Council England grant and a conclusion that continued full-time operation was not financially viable.
Action taken
The trustees entered a consultation process intended to close the theatre at the end of March 2023.
Aftermath
The closure was confirmed and the final performance took place on 31 March 2023.
Recent events
- 2025
Reopening timetable moves beyond the original target[1]
Other
Oldham Council reported that refurbishment delays meant the planned reopening would not occur by the earlier target date and was expected in 2026.
- 2024
Campaign secures a refurbishment plan for the historic theatre[1]
Campaign
Following a campaign led by actor Julie Hesmondhalgh, Oldham announced that the existing Coliseum would be refurbished rather than replaced by the initially proposed smaller venue.
- 2023
Trustees announce planned closure after financial viability review[1]
Bankruptcy · Other
The board stated that continuing to run the theatre full time was no longer financially viable and began consultation on closure.
- 2023
Oldham Coliseum stages its final performance[1]
Other
The theatre closed after the performance Encore on 31 March 2023.
- 2022
Arts Council England withdraws the Coliseum's annual grant[1]
Regulation · Other
The theatre lost its regular Arts Council England funding, becoming the largest theatre outside London reported to have lost support in that funding decision.
Sources1 sources
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