Derby’s dilapidated Hippodrome theatre may have to be demolished after an attack by arsonists.
People living near the Grade II-listed building were moved from their homes and streets were cordoned off when fire took hold on Sunday 6 March.
A Derbyshire Fire and Rescue spokesman said firefighters would not be entering the building because it was unsafe. He added that the building was significantly damaged. And the Theatres Trust said it had “real concerns” about the Hippodrome’s future because the building had suffered a series of setbacks.
It was built in 1914 as a variety theatre, with 2,300 seats. It has also been a cinema and bingo hall. It closed in 2006 and the following year was sold to developer Christopher Anthony.
He ordered work on the building in 2008 but this led to its partial demolition. Derby city council took out an injunction against him to stop him carrying out any further work. The authority later rejected an application to demolish the Hippodrome and replace it with a multi-storey car park.
It has since emerged that the building is now in the hands of Blake Finance, a London-based bank that gave Mr Anthony a mortgage for the property.
A campaign group, Derby Hippodrome Restoration Trust, was formed in 2009 with the aim of seeing the building restored as a theatre and “making a major contribution to the cultural life of Derby”. It said it did not think the building would be left unsafe and it could be rebuilt.
The Theatres Trust said it was in contact with council officers to find out the extent of the damage to the theatre which was on its register of theatre buildings at risk.
A spokesman added, “we were only in Derby last week, on 3 March, talking to Derby city council about its plans for a new, large-scale theatre following the closure of the Assembly Rooms last year after its fire.
“At the meeting we also discussed ways forward for the restoration of the Hippodrome. We’ve also been advising Derby Hippodrome Restoration Trust who want to purchase, rebuild and reopen the theatre and who’ve just received a Heritage Lottery Fund start-up grant to help them value the building.
“Only a year after the Battersea Arts Centre fire in London, this tragedy goes to show, once again, how vulnerable theatres are to fire. For those theatres that have been neglected by their owners and are at greater risk, it becomes doubly important to have foolproof safety and security measures in place.”