Abbeydale Picture House at risk of collapse

Although only seven years into a 25-year lease, local charity CADS are close to exhausting all avenues in their attempt to save an iconic building

Sheffield arts charity CADS (Creative Arts Development Space) has reached a crucial point in the quest to restore the Abbeydale Picture House building. 2 years after the devastating news that the ceiling was unsafe and the roof was leaking water, parts of this iconic building are now at risk of immediate collapse.

The significant issue lies in the current state of the space, including the Grade II listed auditorium, as it is deemed unsafe and unusable. This is causing a huge financial drain, with minimal returns from the remaining areas of the building.

Photo credit: Timm Cleasby

Earlier this year, an agreement was made for CADS to purchase the building with a mortgage approved. However, CADS have been unable to find the additional funds to secure the building. The Music Venues Trust, The National Trust and The Theatres Trust have all supported CADS with advice and consultation but two unsuccessful bids to the Community Ownership Fund (COF) from the UK Government have left CADS with limited options.

This has led to a huge risk that the building will fall into further disrepair and dereliction, including a potential ceiling collapse, it requires a minimum of £160k spending to ensure it is safe with further funding needed to fully restore the building.

CADS board director and founder Steve Rimmer said: “The CADS team has worked tirelessly to ensure the future of this prestigious building. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported us over the last seven years to try and make the building work, especially more recently, whilst the ‘main hall’ became unsafe.

“We are having supportive conversations with the  Sheffield City Council regarding available support and exploring many different business models and bidding opportunities, but sadly, without significant funding, we’re becoming unable to continue our vision of saving this piece of Sheffield history.”

Photo credit: Lindsay Melbourne

In the two years since the water ingress was first discovered, the damage has increased a high chance that large sections of the antique, barrel-vaulted plaster ceiling may collapse imminently. This outcome would be a huge blow to Sheffield. Manyof the original features of this more-than-a-century-old picture house, despite needing work, are still in place. We’ve seen previously what can happen to buildings like this in Sheffield such as the old town hall.

Despite the main auditorium being out of action now for exactly two years, CADS have made extensive use of the ‘fly tower’ behind the main stage which was once used to house props and staging for the theatre and still contains the antique fire guard which would have dropped in front of the stage during the era around 100 years ago when gas lamps would have been the main source of light. Plus a ‘speakeasy’ bar has been created in the entranceway of the main space which plays host to events and activities. These projects are sadly not enough to sustain the running costs of the building.

The CADS team has promised that there will be a significant update to this project very soon.

@abbeydalepicturehouse