This summer Millgate Arts Centre have made a significant investment in the building to make long term repairs to a building that started off as a cooperative warehouse and shop and has since the 1970s been entertaining the Saddleworth Community.
In 2022 as we prepared for their annual panto, they recognised that the backstage of the theatre had suffered significant structural deterioration over many years. Water ingress which was hidden behind decoration had worked its way into all the floor beams and deteriorated them to a point where they would need replacement. The water had also begun to damage main structural steelwork which held up the walls to the theatre and library, it was originally feared whole sections of steel would need to be replaced.
Since then, the Millgate team have worked with structural engineers and specialist construction teams to understand the true depth of repair that was required and to build a fund with contribution from all the Millgate events to allow this major project to be delivered this summer.
Over a year of planning including re-scheduled events gave the building team a long period of time this summer, to complete everything planned before we start to bring the theatre back to life in late August in advance of our first performances in September. In June we installed more timbers in the ceiling which will tie the roof and walls together more firmly, all this could be done without impacting Delph’s Whit Friday activities! Since Whit Friday the whole of the stage area has been removed, original steel beams have been repaired and painted and new steelwork is installed. In late July the most impactful part of the project begins as we had to put temporary traffic lights on The Sound to make the vital repairs to the corroded steel structure we originally feared had to be replaced. Over a 2-week period from Monday 14th July we exposed the steel, made repairs, cleaned and painted the steel before covering it over hopefully for another 100 + years before we need to look again!
To allow the work to be done the library kindly moved temporarily to St Thomas’ Church. The library moved back to its home as planned in early Auhust and has since then been cleaned inside and painted outside.
The builders finally left the theatre over early August, and then we installed new electrical circuits and for the first time radiators and insulation in the backstage area to keep our performers warm in the winter.
It’s been a massive contribution from the whole of the Millgate Community Theatre Community just to get our major project in place, and we are very grateful to the Delph Community for the understanding as we made vital improvements for our theatre for the future.
We will hold a grand reopening of the whole building on Saturday September 13th 2025 10am-1pm so you can see the works, book a ticket or two, grab new season leaflets, visit the library and find out what goes on. Maybe you will fancy joining the volunteer team? More details to follow.
Thank you for your patience as this iconic building is improved for the benefit of all.
