Rainwater causes damage to Glossop theatre

Partington Players Theatre has been at the centre of a real life drama since water began pouring into its Henry Street home.

Now the town’s only live theatre is appealing for donations to help weather the financial storm.

Every part of the five storey listed building has been affected by rain flowing in from the roof and with the Covid-19 lockdown halting productions and  closing the clubroom, the only thing not coming in is cash.

Treasurer Josh Phillips said: “Since March of last year income is down by £92,400.”

Water has flooded into the ladies’ toilets, which were upgraded last year at a cost of £10,000, and run down the walls into the auditorium, the recently refurbished clubroom and into the basement boiler room.

The playhouse has a pitched roof which appears to be in good condition, but there is a flat part, gutters could have become blocked, and past checks have revealed dead pigeons.

Ironically there were plans to make the building pigeon proof.

Water damage is so bad in part of the building, which started as a Liberal club more than a hundred years ago, that walls are soaking wet and carpets saturated.

Partington Players Theatre on Henry Street in Glossop. 

The cost of repairs and replacements is likely to run into many thousands of pounds with furniture and furnishings ruined. Water has also got into the lighting box which is an essential part of stage productions.

With future productions unlikely due to the pandemic, the theatre’s committee had decided to re-vamp the clubroom to attract customers in a bid to bring in badly needed revenue.

But the plans were hit by the series of lockdowns which put a block on money being generated from bar takings and other events.

Insurance assessors were in the building recently and the hope is for a good settlement, however the theatre still has regular bills and ongoing maintenance costs to pay.

With that in mind the theatre staff have set up a GoFundMe page for donations, with details for giving on the Partington Players Theatre’s website and Facebook page.

People have already started donating, which Josh and his colleagues are grateful for, but more is needed to help keep Glossop’s only theatre alive.

Thankfully the water has not damaged the theatre’s extensive wardrobe and productions are ready to resume once entertainment venues are allowed to open again.

Looking forward to the day is Partington actor/director and publicity secretary David Wilson, who said one of the first plays is likely to be ‘Breaking The Code’, the story of Alan Turing.

Main image:

WATER MARK: Theatre treasurer Josh Phillips shows where the water ran down the walls and into the auditorium.

Read more from the Glossop Chronicle

Click here for more of the latest news

Click here to read the latest edition of the paper online

Click here to find out where you can pick up a copy of the paper