Square Chapel Arts Centre: Campaigners' fears over sale of troubled Halifax theatre

Members of the Save Square Chapel Campaign group say they are inviting Arts Council England (ACE) representatives to their annual meeting later this month to answer questions and for reassurance.

The troubled venue, which closed suddenly in February last year, was seized by liquidators and is now on the market with Watling Real Estate.

There are limits on what the building can be used for and Arts Council England has stressed it is committed to trying to return the building to “cultural use for the communities of Halifax”.

But Save Square Chapel Campaign claims ACE has previously told the group that if an arts centre owner-operator cannot be found within nine months, the building will be sold on the open market.

“Clearly, the re-opening of Square Chapel as an arts centre is not assured at present,” said the campaign group, which wants to see the building back in use as an arts venue.

“Such an arts centre will need adequate public investment to succeed and the campaign will press for pubic sector recognition of, and provision of, this.”

The campaigners also say the Halifax community must be meaningfully consulted about proposals from prospective operators and owners before ACE decides who to pass Square Chapel on to.

“The Square Chapel CIC disaster must not be allowed to recur,” they said.

“The current situation raises many questions campaign supporters will want answers to.”

An ACE spokesperson said last month: “We remain committed to try and return the building to cultural use for the communities of Halifax and we will work with Watling and local stakeholders to help facilitate this.

"It is clear in the marketing material that the Arts Council is interested in working with prospective bidders who are looking to deliver continued cultural use of the building.”

A winding-up order was secured against the company in charge of Square Chapel Arts Centre in June.

The order forced Square Chapel CIC (Community Interest Company) to close down and into compulsory liquidation.

Square Chapel CIC – a non-profit organisation – was formed in 2020 after Arts At The Mill CIC – the umbrella for Wigan organisations The Old Courts, Wigan Pier and The Royal Court Theatre – took over the theatre.

Square Chapel CIC announced in February 2025 it was shutting the theatre and cancelling planned performances “whilst we work with professional services to discuss the future of the venue”.

It has been closed ever since.

Concern for the future of the theatre had been growing for some time before the closure, with the Courier reporting in September 2024 how a spokesperson for the group running the venue had admitted there were “a number of artists” who had not been paid following performances there.

The group in charge say when Square Chapel closed its doors in 2025, all artists had been paid in full.

Since February 2025, the building’s only use has been temporarily as a green room for artists during Live at The Piece Hall gigs.