For many years now there has been a commercial theatre consortium, led by Thom Southerland and including partners from leading theatre groups, with a vision and funding to bring Streatham Hill Theatre back to life. Their proposals have culminated in a business plan which was recently submitted to the owners and other stakeholders.

Although the full details of the commercially sensitive business plan have remained confidential, the consortium have now published a summary of their proposals.

The introduction states:

Ambitious plans to restore a historic London landmark and create a major theatre and cultural destination for South London.

A comprehensive business plan to restore Streatham Hill Theatre and return it to public life has been developed, setting out in detail an ambitious future for one of London’s most significant historic theatre buildings.

The proposals, developed by theatre director and arts leader Thom Southerland and internationally recognised theatre designer Morgan Large, set out a clear pathway to transform the Grade II listed building into a thriving commercial theatre and cultural hub, serving Streatham, Lambeth and the wider South London community.

The business plan has been developed in partnership with leading theatre groups, including Troubadour Theatres, giving access to an unrivalled wealth of experience in taking landmark heritage theatres and restoring them to their proper place at the heart of the community.

The ambition is to create a major theatre destination, bringing some of the very best in British and international entertainment to South London, while establishing a building that is equally committed to its local community, creative education and the development of future generations of artists and theatre professionals.

Thom Southerland said:

“Streatham Hill Theatre is too important to remain dormant. We have developed a comprehensive plan for its future, and believe there is an extraordinary opportunity to bring this remarkable building back to life. Our ambition is to create a major theatre for South London, bringing outstanding touring productions, musicals, comedy, music and family entertainment to the area. But just as importantly, we want to create a building that is genuinely part of its community. A place where young people can discover the arts, where local schools and community groups have a home, where emerging talent can develop, and where audiences can experience world-class entertainment on their doorstep. We want Streatham Hill Theatre to become a building that inspires, employs, trains, entertains and belongs to Streatham. This is an ambitious project, but the vision and the plan are in place, and we are ready to move forward.”

The full summary is available here (PDF).