Barrow’s Forum listed on Theatres at Risk Register

Barrow’s closed Forum has been included on the Theatres at Risk Register.

The town’s market hall and the Forum are earmarked for demolition after a survey warned of advancing water leaks and the presence of asbestos.

It closed in 2024. Before its closure, The Forum was a popular venue and the council had planned to invest £16m from the government’s Levelling Up fund to improve the complex.

Earlier this year, Westmorland & Furness Council members were told that the buildings were in a poor condition and that repair and renovation would be extremely costly and would not fully remove the issue of asbestos contamination.

However, there has been no absolute commitment from councillors that the town will get a replacement arts venue.

Originally built as a civic centre in 1971, the Forum was adapted to become an arts centre in 1990 and is Barrow’s only theatre.

The Theatres Trust publishes a list of venues at risk each year. Launched in 2006, it shines a spotlight on theatres under threat and helps galvanise support for securing their future.

Over two decades, this campaign has played a vital role in raising awareness, building partnerships, and supporting the revival of important cultural assets in communities across the country.

Over 80 theatres have been restored and revived, or suitable replacements have been built.