Published: Friday, 21st August 2026
The Prince of Wales Theatre in Cannock has been saved from demolition by senior Councillors following a Cabinet meeting last night (Thursday) - and is now set for a multi-million pound refurbishment.
The under-threat theatre had been earmarked for demolition, but Cannock Chase Council’s Cabinet unanimously voted to retain and refurbish the Theatre. This decision will be subject to detailed design work, the procurement of an operator and review of a full business case which will come back to Cabinet for review before a final commitment is made.
Deputy leader, Councillor Richard Craddock, said: “Most of the people we have spoken to have said please save the theatre. Our residents and town centre shop owners told us they want a thriving theatre – and so we are doing the right thing for our community. We could not have stood by and see it razed to the ground – that would have ripped the cultural heart out of our district.”
Councillors heard that work would be ongoing to ensure their proposals were cost-effective and deliverable. Plans will also move ahead to refurbish the Beecroft Road car park and improve the adjacent steps and access to the underpass.
The theatre has been closed since April last year to help facilitate wider regeneration plans in the town centre. Those plans have already seen the multi-storey car park demolished and the purchase, and flattening, of vacant retail units and Forum Shopping Centre - to create a more attractive opportunity for potential investors.
Councillor Craddock continued: “This is such an important decision for us and our community - and before reaching it we have asked lots of questions, and commissioned further reports, so that we can be confident as a cabinet that we have the answers that will produce the best outcome for our town centre.
“We have reached a critical juncture for the future of Cannock Town Centre and we want to work with the other political groups on the council to look at what else can be achieved to successfully regenerate this area – making it a place where people want to live, shop and spend leisure and social time, and importantly where businesses want to invest.”
Councillor Mandy Bell, Cabinet Member for Resources and Corporate Services, added, “It is important to us and the residents of Cannock Chase that the government funding is utilised to deliver a tangible asset for our future generations.”
The Cabinet Report had set out two options - one of which was to retain and refurbish the theatre and the other was to continue with the ‘Development Framework’ for the town centre - and would have included demolition of the Prince of Wales site as part of a wider regeneration scheme.
The council has around £14m remaining from government funds that it secured to help with the town centre regeneration work. This funding will be set aside to fund the refurbishment of the Theatre, whilst the design work and business case is progressed.
To read the full cabinet report go to: https://www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk/council/meetings/agendas-reports-minu…