£20m won’t be scrapped in Derby – insists leader

Major work is taking place to restore Derby's Guildhall Theatre. Image by LDRS.

A £20 million grant to help restore Derby’s Guildhall Theatre will not be scrapped by the new Prime Minister, the city council’s leader has stressed.

Andy Burnham became the new UK Prime Minister on Monday (July 20th) – taking over the reins from Sir Keir Starmer who announced his resignation after rumours about his departure had gathered pace for months.

Restoration work is currently taking place to bring Derby’s Grade II Listed Guildhall Theatre back to life in a £25m project after being closed for seven years on safety grounds.

In 2024 it was announced Derby had received a huge £20m grant from the Government to boost the city centre.

£10m of Government cash was designated to bring the Guildhall Theatre back into public use – while the rest of the £25m project’s funding is covered by the city council’s capital budget.

The other half of the Government’s £20m Levelling Up grant was earmarked for the revamp of Derby Theatre.

Guildhall Theatre changes will see a new-look auditorium to increase the venue’s seating capacity to around 280.

Work will also include a new front-of-house experience with enhanced foyer, as well as a new ground floor café and box office opening onto the Market Place.

But at a recent meeting, Derby leader, Councillor Nadine Peatfield (Labour), was asked if the change at the top of Westminster could see the huge £20m investment in Derby scrapped.

The Derby Arts and Theatre Association posed the question to Cllr Peatfield and asked if there was any possibility the project could be put “in jeopardy” by a funding U-turn as Mr Burnham sets out new priorities.

But Cllr Peatfield insisted the money was “signed, sealed and delivered”.

She said: “I’m not concerned about the new Prime Minister elect if you like. I know that his priorities are Labour priorities. They are priorities that keep money in communities.

“We’ve already had the £20m confirmed that it is ours. It is signed, sealed and delivered. There’s no concerns going forward that we’re going to lose that.”

Cllr Peatfield added work is progressing well at the Guildhall Theatre and more updates will be provided soon.

Surveys are now being carried out to determine the work needed to preserve it.

Ms Peatfield said: “I was actually in the Guildhall to take a look at the work’s that going on there. I’m really pleased to report that it is progressing. I was actually able to touch the ceiling which was amazing.”

It was initially hoped the building could reopen around the Christmas period in 2027.

But the council revealed in January that the 2024 General Election meant the Government’s funding contribution for the major project was formally signed “later than expected”.

It means, according to the council, renovation “will not be completed in 2027 as we initially hoped”.

Meanwhile, the council says the Guildhall Theatre’s restoration has reached a “significant milestone” with the submission of planning applications for its full renovation.