Wigan’s Royal Court Theatre set to welcome audiences again after funding boost
Some good news for King Street, with Wigan’s Grade II-listed Royal Court Theatre set to reopen after new funding was secured to bring it back into use.
Plans include a temporary 250-seat performance space for shows, events and community activities while longer-term plans for the Grade II listed building are developed. I’ve been asking Wigan Council for an update on the Royal Court for a few weeks now, so we now know a bit more about what’s planned for it, but what we still don’t know is when it will reopen. So, I’ve asked the question and will update when I hear back.
More than £1.1 million has already been spent on the building. Work so far has included stabilising it, making it weather-tight and dealing with dry rot and asbestos. The latest funding comes through the Economic Development and Regeneration Flexible Grant (EDRFG) and will pay for the next stage of work.
The council says it plans to use the temporary space for pilot productions, events and other cultural activities, which will help them decide how the Royal Court could be used in the longer term. So important to point out, this is getting it ready to open for temporary use rather than a full restoration.
Councillor Dane Anderton, Wigan Council’s cabinet portfolio holder for economic development and regeneration, said: “This latest funding allows us to take the next step by opening the building for community and cultural use, helping us understand how it can once again become a vibrant destination for residents and visitors.
“We’re under no illusions about the challenges involved in bringing historic buildings like the Royal Court back into use, but we’re committed to exploring every opportunity and funding option available.”
The Royal Court has been part of King Street since 1886, when it opened as a theatre designed by Wigan architect Richard T. Johnson.
It later became the Court Cinema and then a bingo hall, before finding a new life as a nightclub. Many of you will also remember nights there when it was Springbok and, later, The Hub.
The building was given Grade II-listed status in 1998 and has been closed since 2016.
The Royal Court is part of a much bigger picture on King Street, where progress on regeneration has been mixed. The council sees the building as part of its plans for the Station Gateway and improving the area between the town centre, Wigan North Western and Wigan Wallgate.
Some planned improvements on King Street have stalled, one of the most noticeable is the Victoria Building, where work has been at a standstill for around a year.
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What about the rest of King Street?
I’ve also been asking Wigan Council what is happening with the Victoria Building on King Street, where there has been no sign of work for almost a year.
The council has now told me the developers paused the project in October 2025. They returned to carry out some work in April this year but are not expected to fully restart until September. The current timetable is for the work to be completed in January 2028.
According to the council, the developers have continued to maintain the building while the project has been paused and remain committed to completing it. The council has also confirmed that public money has gone into the project, with a grant from the Future High Streets Fund used towards the cost of securing the building and making the scheme viable.
So, while there may not have been much visible progress on the Victoria Building for some time, we now at least have a date for when the main work is expected to restart, and a completion date, albeit one that is still almost a year and a half away.
Other recent developments on King Street, the planned gym at what used to be Walkabout is no longer happening after an investor pulled out.
A planning application to turn Jumpin’ Jaks into three ground floor commercial units with 18 flats above is still being considered.
And what used to be Revolution bar is still under offer, with the sale not confirmed to have gone through yet.
I will update with any progress when I hear about it, but good to see things are finally happening.
