The Council has made the decision for public safety reasons to close the Forum from March 2025 for 2 years to undertake works to remove asbestos from the adjoining market hall.

I know this will cause concern, and it is devastating that we will be without the Forum for so long, but I do understand that it was unavoidable in the interests of everyone’s safety whilst the work happens.

This will cause uncertainty for everyone including staff and it is important that the local authority prioritise support for staff and communications with the public, including those who already have tickets for shows after March.

It is important that we build back better – and that when the Forum reopens it is stronger than it has ever been. We have a once in a generation opportunity to improve our culture and leisure offering locally with the £200m Transformation Funding and the redevelopment of the forum, market hall, and surrounding public areas are an integral part of the ambitions to become an even more attractive, thriving, and vibrant place to live.