Final hopes of campaigners are quashed in fight for Dudley Hippodrome

Council bosses agreed to take the landmark building on Castle Hill back into their possession from Black Country Hippodrome group after ruling that a five-year lease was unworkable.

Dudley Council's cabinet voted in favour of retaining the former theatre after claiming the group, which signed the lease in December 2016, had failed to hit targets.

The decision made was 'called-in' to the Overview and Scrutiny Board – with campaigners hoping it would be referred back to the cabinet.

But now, the final nail in the coffin has been dealt to Black Country Hippodrome, after councillors agreed to go through with the proposal previously decided.

Campaigners expressed their disappointment following the decision – but vowed not to give up fighting to bring the once popular attraction back to its former glory.

Gordon Downing, who represented the Black Country Hippodrome group, called on the councillors to support the project – arguing the five year least originally agreed was not long enough.

He said: "What we need now is some support off the council – it has be made quite clear from the Heritage Lottery Fund is that they require the council to be behind the scheme, but nothing could be further from the truth.

"The council has been dead against it right from the word go. I'm not saying individual councillors – but the council in general have been since we first started six years ago. Every obstacle has been put in our way.

"We were expected to remove asbestos in the first year. If we can't get funding because the council hasn't backed us and we don't have a 25 year lease, I would like to know how we're supposed to get funding to remove the asbestos."

At the meeting, strategic director for Dudley Council, Alan Lunt highlighted issues over the group accessing the necessary funding during the five year timescale as well as there being asbestos in the building.

"We have been negotiating this since 2012, and for the first time in 2016 there was a tangible way for demonstrating they could deliver a refurbished Dudley Hippodrome," he said.

"The council put into agreement the milestones to achieve seeing the building refurbished. In my opinion, the council did something really positive by agreeing to this.

"My recommendation to the cabinet was that those milestones were not regrettably achieved. This isn't because of a lack of will or commitment, I think what the group has done they should be proud of.

"But unfortunately, it has failed. I applaud the group for what they tried to do, it's regrettable that it has failed but nonetheless failed it has."

If the council continued to back the scheme, the iconic building would have re-opened as a multi-purpose theatre for the first time in half a century. It would also have served as a venue for community groups and functions.

The future of the building now – once again – remains clear with designs and artist’s impressions for how Dudley Hippodrome a thing of the past.

Campaigner Angela Fletcher added: "We've tried to keep this theatre plan realistic, if you would have us in your heart to back the project.

"Most great towns have a historic theatre and Dudley is one of them. More people go to music festivals now than they did in the 60s. Please don't demolish or destroy it – just restore and enjoy it."

Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board Councillor Dean Perks voted to refer the matter back to cabinet, with the rest of the committee deciding to upheld the decision.