Campaigners vow to 'fight to the death' over Dudley Hippodrome demolition plans

Members of Dudley Hippodrome Development Trust [DHDT] say they will submit official objections against the plans by Dudley Council.

The local authority wants to knock down the 1930s-era Art Deco building on Castle Hill and replace it with a £25 million university park.

An official planning application was made on Friday.

In response, Sue Bolton, administration officer at DHDT, said: "We will make formal objections through the planning process.

"We are looking to seek professional advice on this.

"We have a vision for the building, which we believe is achievable. We see the hippodrome would bring, if not as much, footfall - day and night - than this university idea that they are proposing.

"We see our venture would be a bigger employer than this university centre would be.

"Dudley needs a theatre, a multi-entertainment type venue, on that location more than a university building. There are more sites that this [the university park] could be placed on.

"We will fight to the death on this, it is not over until the fat lady sings, as they say."

The fate of the theatre, which once hosted comic legends Laurel and Hardy in its heyday, has hung in the balance for years.

It was last used in 2009, as a bingo hall, and has become derelict since then, with campaigners vying to redevelop the site located in a key gateway of Dudley town centre. The last stage show took place there in 1964.

Campaigners were given keys to the facility in December 2016 in order to clean it up - but they were taken back by landowners Dudley Council when the local authority ruled volunteers would not be able to generate the necessary cash for its refurbishment.

Since then, the council has tabled plans of its on how best the redevelop the site - which is located next to Dudley Zoo and Black Country Living Museum - with one being to turn the land into a driverless car testing site.

However, Dudley Council now wants to create a higher education facility specialising in health courses, with a proposed opening date of Autumn 2024.

No decision has yet been made on the demolition, however, with the council's planning committee set to rule on the application at a future date.

Ms Bolton believes there is still a chance to save the hippodrome, despite the council's plans progressing this far.

Following Dudley recently launching a bid to become a city, she said a "top class" entertainment venue is needed.

She said: "The opportunity is there [to save the hippodrome]. We see it still happening.

"If we are going to be a city, you need a top rate, first class entertainment venue. The town hall doesn't cut it."

The Theatres Trust, which is the national advisory body for theatres in the UK, said it will also be making a formal objection to the plans.

Last month, Dudley Council learnt it had been successful with a £25million bid for the Government's Towns Fund initiative to finance the university park project.

After the announcement, trust issued a statement saying it was "extremely disappointed" that the hippodrome would be likely demolished as part of the project.

The decision by the Conservative-led council to try and demolish the hippodrome has attracted criticism from opposition parties in the borough.

Ryan Priest, a spokesman for Dudley Liberal Democrats, said: "To tear down such a significant icon of our history, and to ignore the calls for its restoration is an absolute failure of leadership.

"Dudley Hippodrome is a local landmark, an important part of Black Country history, and if reopened and restored to its former glory could have a huge impact on the local area."

But others have supported the council's move, including former Dudley North MP Ian Austin, who is now a Lord.

He said it was a "shame the hippodrome can’t be brought back to life".

But he hailed the opportunity of giving "5,000 local people the chance to get degree-level qualifications", while adding that NHS bodies in the Black Country would be boosted by new recruits.