Theatre group saved from closure

Date published: 05/12/2007

A theatre workshop which counts soap stars from Coronation Street and Brookside amongst its former pupils, including Rochdale born actress Anna Friel, has been saved from closure.

The Oldham Theatre Workshop runs courses for about 400 young people aged between eight and 25.

Oldham Council had planned to withdraw its funding next year by £40,000, as part of a bid to balance its £13m budget deficit.

It was agreed the plans would be dropped at a meeting on Tuesday 4 December.

The workshop has now been given three years in which to find alternative ways to cover funding, which currently subsidises users who come from outside the borough.

Along with Anna Friel, Michael Le Vell, who plays Kevin Webster in Coronation Street, and Suranne Jones, who formerly played Karen McDonald, started their careers at the workshops.