Cabinet votes for Prince of Wales Theatre to be retained

Theatres Trust welcomes the decision by Cannock Chase Council's Cabinet, following our advice, to save the Theatre at Risk.

The new Cabinet voted in favour of retaining and refurbishing the Prince of Wales Theatre.

Joshua McTaggart, CEO of Theatres Trust says:

Theatres Trust believes that everyone should have access to theatre, no matter where they live. Our mission to protect and support theatres is particularly vital in areas such as Cannock where the only theatre in the area becomes at risk.

Cannock Chase Council Cabinet’s vote in favour of retaining the Prince of Wales Theatre is therefore fantastic news. We added the Prince of Wales to our Theatres at Risk Register in 2025 when the council announced plans to close the theatre and redevelop the site, and we have been in conversation with council officials and elected members of all parties since then.

Through our engagement we have impressed upon the council the need to fully understand the benefits the theatre brings to the area and what the impact of its loss would have been. We were recently commissioned by the new administration to provide more detailed expert insight into the different options for the theatre. We are delighted that the new Cabinet has listened to this advice and we look forward to continuing to work collaboratively to progress plans to reopen the theatre and see it returned to the heart of the community.