Bids close as Doncaster's historic Grand Theatre goes up for auction
The fate of Doncaster’s historic Grand Theatre is set to be decided as auction bids draw to a close today.
The Grade II Victorian theatre, which has stood empty for almost 30 years, was put up for auction with no reserve price.
The building has fallen into disrepair since it closed in 1995 and earlier this year was added to the Theatres at Risk Register.
Auctioneer James Vandenbrook said despite the building's condition several potential buyers had already come forward ahead of the close of bids on July 17.
He said he hoped finding new owners could be "the catalyst for a positive new future" for the venue.
Built in 1899, the theatre became a bingo hall in 1963, before shutting for good three decades later.
A long-running campaign to bring the property back into use as a performance venue commissioned a feasibility study in 2021.
But this found that urgent repair works would be needed before it could be re-opened, even with a greatly reduced audience capacity.
In April, campaigners marked its 125th anniversary by calling for it to be brought back into use.
Mr Vandenbrook, associate director at auctioneer Mark Jenkinson, said the community in Doncaster had been "saddened" by its gradual decline.
He said: "It has been unused for almost 30 years and putting the property up for sale at auction with nil reserve will no doubt be the catalyst for a positive new future for this much-loved Victorian icon, which definitely has the potential to become an asset to the city centre economy once again."
He added: "While it would be tremendous to see it return to use as an arts venue, in recent years other period properties within the city centre, such as the Wool Market, have undergone sympathetic redevelopment that has given them a new identity, attracting more people into the city centre and serving as prime examples of successful regeneration projects."
The property is understood to have become available on the market after the sell-off of the Frenchgate centre to Frasers Group.
The company behind Sports Direct and House of Fraser took over in a huge deal earlier this month.