Ryde Theatre and former Town Hall has been put up for sale at auction having sat empty and decaying for more than a decade.
Once a public asset, the historic venue was sold by the former Conservative-led Isle of Wight Council in 2013 for £300,000.
As reported by OnTheWight at the time, ownership passed from the council to Joe Gladdis’s Phantom Productions Ltd , a company seemingly now based in Gibraltar.
Guide price of £650,000
Built in 1883, the guide price for this iconic Grade II listed landmark is £650,000 – although it is clear from reports over the years that a huge amount of renovation and restoration work is required.
Having sat empty for more than a decade, the building has been subjected to vandalism allowing it to deteriorate further.
Remedial works
In 2024, Ryde Town Council appointed a Planning Enforcement Officer, with one of his top priorities being the deteriorating state of the historic building.
Earlier this year, a number of works were carried out to prevent further water ingress and actions were taken to make the building more secure from break-ins including boarding up of windows and fencing to prevent access to the rear fire escape.
Plans for the future
In 2021, Ryde Town Council voted to buy Ryde Town Hall, with news that a grant application to Lottery Heritage Fund for £7m funding to restore the building had been turned down, party due to the fact the RTC did not own the building. At the time, there was also talk of a rival bidder (a property developer) being on the scene.
In May 2023, the Ryde Town Hall Trust (RTHT) was set up to preserve, restore and care for Ryde Town Hall, as well as explore a range of purchase options. This was the same year that the Georgian Group put Ryde Town Hall on their Top 10 Heritage At Risk List for 2023.
In 2024, Friends of Ryde Town Hall (FORTH) – a resident-led advocacy organisation – also released a comprehensive white paper about a possible future for Ryde Town Hall and Theatre.
Watch the auction
The auction takes place online on Wednesday 10th December from 9am on the Savills website.
Thanks to all the readers who got in touch about the auction listing.
