A national campaign led by Coronation star Julie Hesmondhalgh and her husband Ian Kershaw has saved the Oldham Coliseum theatre.
The theatre closed last year due to a loss of funding from Arts Council England.
The council has now promised £10m in funding to refurbish the theatre, while Arts Council England has agreed to provide £1.85m over three years to support the arts in the borough.
Cllr Arooj Shah said: ‘Oldham Council has listened to local people. I can now reveal that we will bring the Coliseum back to life in time for the Christmas Panto 2025.’
Ms Hesmondhalgh said: ‘This is a cause for celebration for so many people who have come together to show their passion for the theatre and bringing the Oldham Coliseum back to life.
‘Oldham Council has shown a fantastic commitment to re-opening the Coliseum, and by working together, we can really put arts and culture at the heart of a transformed town centre. It feels like the start of a new, exciting era and it’s one that has been driven by the people of Oldham.’
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