A historic charitable theatre is set to reopen after its local authority agreed to spend £10m on its refurbishment following a campaign led by an actor.

Oldham Coliseum theatre ran for 135 years before closing in April last year because of a loss in funding.

The actor Julie Hesmondhalgh and her husband, the writer Ian Kershaw, spearheaded the campaign to reopen the building, which is owned by Oldham Council. 

The council has agreed to spend £10m bringing the venue back into use, with the aim of opening its doors in time for Christmas 2025.

Arooj Shah, leader of Oldham Council, said: “For many Oldhamers, their love of the arts was closely aligned with their experiences and memories of the coliseum, and they expressed a strong desire to save the building. 

“We have listened to them, and thanks to the support of Julie, Ian, the Save Oldham Coliseum group and our partners, we are now making that happen.

“Alongside this, work is underway to build a more cooperative, collaborative model for the building and for arts provision more widely across Oldham.”

Shah said the past 14 years had been challenging for councils and the sector alike but the council was “committed to a better future and creating an exciting new model where we work closely together across the borough”.

Hesmondhalgh said Oldham Council had shown a “fantastic commitment” to reopening the theatre.

She said: “By working together, we can really put arts and culture at the heart of a transformed town centre.

“It feels like the start of a new, exciting era and it’s one that has been driven by the people of Oldham.”

Plans to reopen the theatre are expected to be formally approved by the council on 15 July.

“The reopening of the coliseum puts culture at the heart of this new neighbourhood while supporting other businesses, attracting visitors, and creating new opportunities for local people,” the council said.