Ulster University to make 'every best effort' to redeploy Riverside Theatre staff following closure announcement
Ulster University has said that it will make ‘every best effort’ to redeploy staff following the announcement of the closure of Coleraine’s Riverside Theatre.
On Thursday, May 29, the university, on whose Coleraine campus the theatre is situated, confirmed that “Riverside Theatre operations will cease from August 2025”.
An Ulster University spokesperson said: “We remain focused on the University’s core purpose: to deliver high-quality teaching and impactful research across our multiple campuses; and in the face of unprecedented financial challenges, with the funding model in Northern Ireland acknowledged as unsustainable, it is more important than ever that we focus our resources on core academic activities.
"Having supported and delivered this civic asset for fifty years, the building itself has now come to the end of its life and requires significant capital investment to remain in use. This is estimated at £745,000 in the immediate term alone and is in addition to the annual running costs of £495,000.
"While we appreciate that this news will come as a disappointment to many, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the artists, audiences, staff, and supporters who have made the Riverside Theatre such a special place for so many years.
"Ulster University remains open to working with local partners and stakeholders to explore new ways to support arts and culture in the region, even as we navigate these constrained times.”
The University has been criticised by campaigners who have launched a petition and organised a protest in a bid to save the theatre.
When asked about the number of Riverside Theatre staff affected by the closure, the UU spokesperson said: “Every best effort will be made to redeploy the very small number of affected staff, to other roles within the University.”