Auckland mayor Wayne Brown dumps on plan to save St James theatre

Thursday, 27 July 2023

Minister for Auckland and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Carmel Sepuloni announces the Government will contribute $15 million dollars towards the future of Auckland’s St James Theatre.

Auckland mayor Wayne Brown has poured cold water on plans to save the St James theatre, calling it a “festering hole” and that he wouldn’t bet on restoration getting underway.

The government has committed $15 million to save the crumbling theatre, matching a similar sum agreed by Auckland Council in 2016, subject to conditions.

In repeated jabs at the council’s offer, Brown told councillors he doubted the ratepayer contribution would be called upon, or that existing venues would ever face St James as a new competitor.

Public contributions towards the 95-year-old historic theatre lapse if work by its private owner doesn’t start by July 2024.

* Government pledges $15m for restoration of Auckland's derelict St James Theatre

* The St James Theatre: Behind the scenes at Auckland's 'lady in waiting'

Auckland Central MP Chloe Swarbrick is one of those who campaigned to save the St James Theatre.

Brown told a council meeting that only four councillors present when the 2016 offer was made, remained around the table.

The mayor said as a result of the 2016 decision “we now have an ugly festering hole in the middle of our main street”.

The 95-year-old St James Theatre has deteriorated since fire damage closed it in 2015.

“I didn't place a bet at TAB that that [restoration] will be starting by June next year,” said Brown.

St James is dilapidated and has been closed since a 2015 fire. It sits adjacent to a large empty site on Queen Street where a previous apartment development was aborted.

Another councillor, Maurice Williamson, opposed the council exposing itself to further demands, asking officials what would happen if the money was spent but was not enough to finish the job.

Williamson said council should get out of the 2016 commitment and make a new one with new conditions.

Chris Darby who was one of the four present when the 2016 offer was made, said it was a suspensory loan that would only become a grant when agreed conditions were met.

Darby said he’d “like to see the colour and quantity of the private capital coming [to the project] because that is not clear.”

As the government announced its contribution, the owner of the theatre, St James Holdings, was confident work would begin on structural work.

“Today, I have mixed emotions. [A] mixture of joy, belief, mainly relief, and a lot of gratitude for all the people that have got behind this campaign and helped us save this building,” said director Steve Bielby