Empty Criterion costs £25k a year as sale branded ‘responsible move’

An empty theatre once billed as a future entertainment hub cost the council £25,000 a year to keep, it has now been revealed.

Gosport Borough Council leader Cllr Zoe Huggins BEM said selling the freehold of the Criterion Theatre was the “responsible course of action” after the authority reviewed the future cost of the long-empty Forton Road building.

The former bingo hall has been placed on the market, a month after councillors agreed to dispose of the site. It was bought for £600,000 in 2022 under the previous Liberal Democrat administration and was intended to become a multi-purpose entertainment venue.

A council report confirms the authority has spent a further £480,240 since acquiring the building, covering costs including professional fees, works, and site maintenance. The council confirmed that holding costs for the empty theatre are around £25,000 a year, which equates to roughly £2,080 a month.

The council has received no income from the building since buying it. It paid £600,000 for the site and has spent a further £480,240, taking the total cost so far to just over £1.08 million.

As previously reported by The News, the future of the Criterion has been at the centre of much controversy for several years.

Former Lib Dem council leader Peter Chegwyn championed it as a future venue for Gosport residents which was also to feature a cafe, but political opponents branded it a ‘vanity project’.

A change in council leadership after the local elections earlier this year resulted in the now Conservative-led council taking the decision to put a stop to those plans and instead sell the building.

Cllr Huggins said the council recognised the significance of the Criterion to residents and the level of interest in the money already spent on the project.

The Conservative leader said: “The council has carefully considered the options for the Criterion and, having reviewed the financial, operational and future investment required from the council, councillors have concluded that marketing the freehold is now the responsible course of action.

“We have a duty to protect taxpayers and to make sure that any further investment represents good value for the council.”

Cllr Huggins said putting the site on the market would allow the authority to “test the market properly”, establish the level of interest and explore potential opportunities for the building.

She added: “This is not about walking away from the importance of the building to Gosport.

“It is about making a responsible decision based on evidence and a business case for the council, while seeking the best possible outcome for local taxpayers and the future of the site.”

The council will not disclose its expected sale price, and said it has a duty to achieve “best consideration” and that commenting on pricing expectations would not be appropriate.

The timing of a sale will depend on market interest, but officers intend to return to councillors in November with offers and a recommendation on a preferred bidder.