Former Oldham Coliseum boss Chris Lawson has been announced as the new director of producing and programme at the Traverse Theatre, in Edinburgh.

He is set to start the role in September this year.

Responding to the announcement on Twitter, Chris said he is “looking forward to this new chapter”.

Mr Lawson had been part of the Coliseum since October 2015 as associate director, before taking up a role as artistic director in 2018.

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He was appointed chief executive of the Oldham Coliseum Theatre in 2022, after it was stripped of its Arts Council England funding and status.

The Fairbottom Street theatre had been at the heart of the borough since 1885 and was the last surviving professional theatre in the borough.

Originally known as Oldham Repertory Theatre, it saw performances from the likes of Bernard Cribbins, Charlie Chaplin, Stan Laurel, Ralph Fiennes, Minnie Driver, and Jean Alexander.

The Coliseum had applied for nearly £1.85 million of funding over the next three years, but was forced to permanently shut its doors at the end of March after the Arts Council refused to give it further funding.

Instead, the Arts Council gave the same amount of money to Oldham Council.

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Oldham Coliseum Ltd used the building with permission from the local authority.

The Arts Council refused to give further details for the funding snub when asked under the Freedom of Information Act.

When asked for further clarification on the matter, the Arts Council blamed financial and governance issues with Oldham Coliseum Ltd for the funding snub, but refused to go into further detail – saying this could discourage organisations from applying for funding in the future.

A campaign led by Oldhamers and acting union Equity was unsuccessful to save the theatre from closure.

A final performance was held at the theatre on Friday, March 31.

Now, Oldhamers await a £24m replacement building.

Oldham Coliseum Ltd is set to move into the new theatre on Union Street when it opens.

Council leaders have promised the new building will be ‘modern and accessible’, though concerns have been raised that the space, with room for ‘300+’, will be smaller than the 585-seat Coliseum.