Wigan Old Courts theater needs to raise £90,000 in one week

Wigan’s Old Courts theater and music venue is raising funds for structural damage caused by shoddy building work.

With an estimated cost of £100,000, the Old Courts’ insurance company refused to cover any costs, believing the fault was due to sloppy building work rather than accidental damage.

Fundraising efforts have so far raised less than £10,000 and the venue has set a June 24 deadline to meet its target.

Megan Ball, Senior Digital Marketing & Communications Manager for The Old Courts said: “Over the years, our venue has served as a hub for creativity, entertainment and community engagement.

“We need to save and restore the venue to once again provide memorable and valuable nights of culture for Wigan and to safeguard the future of The Old Courts for generations to come.”

While the theater is taking the construction company responsible for the damage to court, they have yet to receive any reimbursement for repairs to the building and claim it has suffered significant financial losses.

The campaign is being run on an all-or-nothing basis, meaning all donations will be refunded to donors and promised rewards will not be honored unless the total of £100,000 is raised.

Rewards include art prints, t-shirts and tickets to the event, as although the Grand Vault and accompanying theater space are closed, other parts of the venue remain open.

There is currently no indication of how long the legal process will take or whether the theater will be successful in its claim.

Famous names such as John Cooper Clarke, Sir Ian McKellen, Shaun Ryder and the Wheatus Band have graced the Old Courts stage in past years, with local legends The Lathums joining the current fundraising efforts.

The Lathums are hosting a party after their show at Wigan’s Robin Park Arena on Friday July 19, but ticket sales will need to reach the Old Courts before June 24 to be considered for the repair work.

Backers of the crowdfunder will also have the chance to win a signed record of their latest EP, From Nothing To a Little Bit More.

English punk and folk singer Frank Turner also showed his support and shared the fundraiser with his fans.

The venue also supports local resident groups by providing workshop space and hopes to continue to do so.

Old Courts currently hosts Wigan Autistic Theater Company, Directions for Men, Over 50 Jammers from Age UK, a youth choir and an abstinence group.

The crowdfunder page currently has 308 backers and can be found here.

Photos courtesy of Wigan Old Courts