THE CLOSURE of a historic theatre has been slammed by the performing arts union as a damning indictment of the Arts Council for England, who withdrew its funding.

Oldham’s Coliseum Theatre will close at the end of March after being a cultural beacon in the north for 130 years.

Reputed to be the birthplace of pantomime, it has a staff of 70 and makes up 20 per cent of paid work for actors in the north-west of England.