Why theatre boss is 'livid' over claim venue 'at risk'

A theatre's manager has said she is "absolutely livid" that a charity has included it in a list of nearly 40 such UK venues "at risk".

The Epstein in Liverpool is one of 39 entries in this year's register published by Theatres Trust, the national advice and advocacy body for the UK's theatres.

But Hayley Smitton, the theatre's programme manager, said: "We've got shows booked in to the end of next year, some for 2028. We're here to stay now."

A trust spokesman said it was "delighted it is open and is thriving", adding its continued inclusion on the Theatres at Risk Register was purely about ensuring changes that could jeopardise the building's future were not made to it.

The Epstein Theatre originally opened as Crane's Music Hall in 1913, becoming the Neptune Theatre in the late 1960s.

After being closed for six years, it reopened in 2011 as the Epstein Theatre, named in honour of the Beatles' manager Brian Epstein.

After closing again in 2023 when Liverpool City Council pulled its financial support, it reopened again in 2025.

The trust spokesman said Epstein has been on its register for two years "due to the outstanding planning application" the trust has seen that "would pose a risk to the future viability of the theatre".

He added the application "had no acoustic report, leading to concerns about noise transmission from the proposed serviced apartments above".

The trust also had concerns about emergency fire escapes from the theatre due to plans to change staircases linking all parts of the building.

Smitton said: "I was absolutely livid because we know how well we're doing.

"We hit our financial targets every month, exceed them near enough every month."

She added acoustic tests in June and other testing had showed the theatre could operate to the level it does now and any changes would have "no bearing on the day-to-day running of this theatre".

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