GBC Announces New Moves To Try To Save the Electric Theatre

Published on: 28 Feb, 2026
Updated on: 3 Mar, 2026

Guildford Borough Council has agreed to hire an independent specialist to assess how the Electric Theatre can continue to operate as an arts and performance venue. Discussions will also focus on options for making the building available for community use.

The council’s Executive says it is building on the “insightful findings” gathered through a community survey and roundtable discussion with interested parties.

The Guildford theatre closed early in 2025 facing extreme financial pressures caused in part by higher energy and employment costs.

The Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) had been running the theatre since 2017 but revealed that the venue had made a loss “in excess” of £250,000 over the period of a year.

The Electric Theatre, Guildford.

As part of GBC’s next phase, the council says the independent specialist will assess the viability of a community focused arts venue “and advise how such a model could operate effectively within the Council’s current financial constraints”.

A council statement says: “This specialist expertise will ensure we have high-quality, impartial advice to guide an informed decision about the future of the Electric Theatre.”

In October The Guildford Dragon announced that Nick Wyschna, founder of Wysch Productions, which includes Guildford Fringe, had formally expressed an interest in taking on the lease.

Then in November, we announced that the Boileroom, Guildford’s award-winning music venue, had also come forward with plans to take over the running of the Electric Theatre – describing it as “a place that holds deep cultural and community significance in our town.”

Cllr Julia McShane

This week Cllr Julia McShane, leader of Guildford Borough Council, said: “I’ve been truly touched by the level of community interest in the future of the Electric Theatre. It’s clear this venue means a great deal to many people in our borough.

“Appointing an expert with experience in the arts and culture sector will help us maintain momentum and give us the clarity we need to move forward with confidence.”

Cllr Phil Bellamy, lead councillor for Finance, said: “We’re committed to making well-informed, financially responsible decisions. This independent assessment will provide a clear understanding of what is truly achievable and a well-considered approach for the theatre’s future.”

Cllr Phil Bellamy

Phase one will begin immediately and focus on:

testing assumptions about how the venue could operate in future
understanding what the market can realistically deliver under different operating models
ensuring any future decisions are financially responsible and aligned with community need.

The council says that once the independent specialist’s viability assessment is complete, the findings “will underpin an options report to be presented to the Executive in the summer”.

The statement said: “The Council will continue to move this process forward as quickly and efficiently as possible. However, it recognises that any future decisions may require approval from the new Shadow Authority, which will be elected in May.”

Offering reassurance to residents, Cllr McShane said: “We remain firmly committed to keeping residents informed and involved at every stage. As work progresses, we’ll continue to share updates and make sure the community remains at the heart of shaping the Electric Theatre’s future.”

The council says its 2026/27 budget includes some funding (capital provision) to support making the Electric Theatre safe, compliant, and ready for future occupation.