Will the show go on or has the final curtain fallen on our Guild Hall?

Owner of the city centre venue, Simon Rigby, says he hopes the Great Hall and Charter Theatre will only be shut “temporarily” before a new operator picks it up, saving the 20 jobs within the month.

However, Mr Rigby was unable to confirm exactly when the hall could reopen.

Another 45 casual staff have been offered work at the Level entertainment complex, which is not closing, along with all other tenants on the ground floor including ReView cocktail bar.

Safehands Nursery, Carol May’s Academy and restaurants. The shock closure comes as negotiations with specialist live music and venues company VMS Live were put on hold, following the untimely death of the company’s managing director and founder.

Mr Rigby had announced in April that VMS were in line to take over the running of the venue.

Meanwhile, Mr Rigby has assured members of the public who have bought pre-booked tickets that they will not be left out of pocket and should contact the Guild Hall for refunds.

Asked about job losses, Mr Rigby said: “We are paying people this month but after that we don’t know - it depends how long it takes. The place is shut I hope only for a couple of weeks.

“I believe VMS Live is going to take everybody on. Whoever the new operator the Guild Hall is they will require staff.”

Pressed on the issue of staff jobs Mr Rigby added: “Staff have been paid for May.

“We are hoping that the coming operator will pick all the staff up in June but in the meantime they have been laid off.

“Twenty full-time staff have been laid off.

“Forty five casuals have been offered work elsewhere as an alternative in Level.”

The sudden closure of the Great Hall and Charter Theatre comes as a deal with VMS Live, which was on the cusp of being put into action to run the Guild Hall in April was paused.

Founder and director of VMS died on Friday April 19 after a serious car accident on Saturday March 30.

Mr Rigby said: “The deal was all done.

“We were going live in April and tragically Steve Forster was involved in a road traffic accident. Ultimately he died. He was buried a couple of weeks ago.

“What can you do in situations like this? Our sympathy goes to VMS. Steve had done all the deals.

“Negotiations had started with VMS towards the end of last year.”

Mr Rigby says that Guild Hall staff had all been told by VMS that they were to be transferred over to the company as it took over the running of the city’s flagship venue.

“It was all sorted. It was all done and dusted,” he said.

“The staff were counselled by them and then unfortunately Steve has had an accident that weekend.

“While he was in a coma nobody was doing anything. People hoped he would get better.”

Mr Rigby says that Steve Forster’s death, coupled with “some false social media stories has meant the position of Preston Guild Hall Ltd, the current operator, has become fundamentally uncertain and directors have had to take professional advice”.

In a statement Mr Rigby said: “Clearly a tragedy beyond anyone’s control has led to the delay in VMS Live taking Preston Guild Hall on to the next level.

“The suppliers, including promoters, have simply got tired of waiting for VMS Live to take up the reins of the Guild Hall.

“Under this pressure and uncertainty I am legally obliged to review the viability of Preston Guild Hall Limited, the operating company, as a number of its creditors will not wait any longer and all creditors have to be treated fairly.”

The Post reported last month how a number of promoters were chasing up payments owed by the Guild Hall for shows they had staged there.

Mr Rigby says he is being chased by a number of creditors which has left him with one of two options.

Mr Rigby said: “I have to pay everybody or I have to close to protect the business until VMS can sign up.

“We are not criticising VMS in this.

“We have got a number of creditors chasing us at the moment but that’s nothing to do with the VMS deal.

“In view of the uncertainty we have had to protect the business.

“The creditors are pressing us but regardless of what happened I will honour the advance ticket sales.

“Some shows may get cancelled. I’m committed to no members of the public losing money.”

The closure has left the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) fearing it will be left in the lurch over where to hold its annual graduation ceremonies which are taking place in July.

However Mr Rigby has assured the university that the Guild Hall will be open for the occasion.

He said: “The Guild Hall will be reopening in a couple of weeks.”

Asked if VMS Live was still committed to operate the Guild Hall following the death of the managing director Mr Rigby said: “They haven’t signed anything.”

But he then told the Post that in the event VMS does not step in to run the venue he will reopen it himself - on a reduced scale.

“My plan is not to reopen the Guild Hall but before I see the Guild Hall shut permanently I will reopen it myself,” he said.

“If VMS don’t come forward on this I will reopen the Guild Hall as a receiving venue. That means if somebody wants an event we hire them the venue.

“We have got a very big event booked for the last three months of the year. We have confirmed the bookings for them.

“It’s two very major local events who traditionally book the Guild Hall scheduled for September and October.

“But this is not my plan. My plan is to have VMS open the venue.”

The Post has contacted VMS Live for comment but they did not respond by deadline.

Graduations in July

The University of Central Lancashire is due to hold a string of ceremonies at the Guild Hall in July.UCLan is hoping the ceremonies will go ahead as planned at the Guild Hall, but are looking at other options to ensure they are covered.A spokesman for the University said: “In light of today’s announcement, we have contacted the Guild Hall management team in relation to our forthcoming graduation ceremonies in July. While at this point in time the Guild Hall cannot confirm the availability of the venue, its team is hoping to provide us with more positive news next week.“In the meantime the University will look at contingency arrangements to ensure our summer graduation ceremonies take place as planned.”

Guild Hall staff fears

A member of Guild Hall staff, who did not want to be named, told the Post: “Some staff are due to be paid tomorrow (Friday). We’re all worried that Simon Rigby’s going to liquidate the company and no one is going to receive anything.“When it was announced, he didn’t have the guts to tell us himself. One of the workers who had been made redundant had to tell us all - around 30 of us.“We could see him and he didn’t care.“It’s all right when it’s all going well and he’s saying this, that and the other in the press, but it’s not like that working for him.“As for redundancy, I feel for those people who have worked there less than three years, they won’t get anything.

VMS

It had been announced in April that VMS Live would take over the running of the Guild Hall venue following speculation about its future.Manchester-based VMS is a specialist live music and venues company.It offers bespoke venue development, management, promotional and operational solutions for partner venues.In addition it promotes and stages event brands including, Inner City Live, Sounds of Summer and over 500 promoted shows annually as VMS Live presents.Current and recent clients include ARC (Arena Racing Company), Manchester Academy, Student Central (ULU), Union of UEA Students Union (The Nick Rayns LCR, Waterfront & Studio), Glyndwr University Wrexham (William Aston Hall & Catrin Finch Centre), Warwick University Students Union (Copper Rooms), Hull (Welly, Polar Bear & Fruit), Liverpool Olympia, Preston Guildhall, Portsmouth Pyramids, Brixton Electric, Telford Town Council and several Local Authorities and event organisers.

Council reaction

The venue, built in the 1970s, was owned by Preston City Council until Mr Rigby bought it in 2014 - for £1. Leader of Preston City Council councillor Matthew Brown said today: “We are disappointed to hear this news, but hope that this temporary closure of Preston Guild Hall enables the transition to VMS Live’s management of the venue to take place smoothly.“The transfer of Preston Guild Hall to Simon Rigby in 2014 was Preston City Council’s only viable option. This difficult decision was made due to significant operating costs in a climate of unprecedented budget cuts and austerity. This situation has not changed.“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of the late owner of VMS Live.”