Review of safety at Shropshire theatres after Manchester attack

Bosses at Telford & Wrekin Council have revealed the authority is doing a “more detailed review of safety” at Oakengates Theatre following the Manchester bombing.

And management at Shrewsbury’s Theatre Severn say they introduced extra measures while the country’s terror threat was raised to critical, and “maintain a heightened state of vigilance” to ensure audiences feel safe.

Telford & Wrekin Council’s managing director Richard Partington said: “We keep building security under constant review but are currently doing a more detailed exercise in the light of recent events.”

The bombing following an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena saw 22 people killed and more than 100 injured.

The attacker, 22-year-old Salman Abedi, detonated an improvised explosive device packed with nuts and bolts to act as shrapnel, in the foyer area of the venue as families made their way home.

David Jack, Theatre Severn venue and programme manager, said: “Following the terrorist incidents earlier this year, and in the immediate aftermath of the attack in Manchester when the threat level was raised to critical, the Theatre Severn management team met to review safety protocol at the venue.

“While the threat level was raised to critical, further measures such as additional front-of-house announcements were undertaken, and all venue staff were specifically briefed with reminders and emphasis on our ongoing duty to remain vigilant for any suspicious behaviour or unattended items.

“Theatre Severn will apply additional protocol should the threat level reach critical again in future, but maintains a heightened state of vigilance at all times, regardless of the threat level, to ensure audiences visiting the venue feel safe and reassured.”

The news comes as the cost was revealed of safety checks at two of Wolverhampton’s biggest venues. Major reviews of the safety at Wolverhampton’s Civic and Wulfrun Halls will be included in a comprehensive £150,000 survey of the buildings while a £14.4 million revamp is in process.

Bosses said a review into the safety and security of the venues would take place following what the council called ‘recent events in the UK’.

Councillor John Reynolds, cabinet member for city economy, said the new safety elements would be internal, structural features which would be installed throughout the buildings, such as electronically controlled security doors.

The city council’s cabinet approved spending an extra £150,000, described as ‘an unexpected occurrence’, from the council’s emergency contingency reserve.

The revamp began in January and both halls will reopen at their current capacity for public events between October 21 and January 1.

The civic hall will then close for further work till October next year. The halls both underwent major changes following an announcement in July 2016 which saw the £14.4 million Civic Halls Improvement scheme given the go ahead.

The aim of the improvements was to, according to the report, ‘attract more popular acts and increase visitor numbers’.

Now, the aim is to improve safety at the venues.

The report said: “Following recent national incidences, it was also considered advisable to review the need for any additional public safety requirements that should be included in the improvement scheme.”

Not only this, but ‘building structure and condition requires further assessment’ as well as ‘electrics, heating, ventilation and air conditioning’. The aim is to make sure the halls can be run effectively for the next 25 years.

These assessments are to be carried out in the coming months with a view to complete them by October.