Shock over sudden closure of Titchfield Festival Theatre
Performers are urgently searching for a new home
Performers are urgently searching for a new home after the sudden closure of a popular theatre.
Titchfield Festival Theatre has ceased operations after going into administration, the Local Democracy Reporting Service understands.
In the wake of the closure, Titchfield Festival Youth Theatre (TFYT) has issued an appeal for help, saying it is “in urgent need of a venue” to continue its weekly Saturday morning sessions and stage its end-of-term productions.
In a post shared online, the group said it is now looking for a suitable space in the surrounding areas of Fareham, Locks Heath and Whiteley.
The group said that any temporary or permanent solution would be considered as they work to keep their activities running for local young people.
In an email sent to those involved in the youth theatre, the group said: “It is with the utmost regret that we write to inform you that this week will be the last week of lessons for TFYT at the theatre. Titchfield Festival Theatre has ceased trading as of April 27, 2026.”
One woman, who did not want to be named, said her daughter attends the youth programme at the theatre and branded the news “excessively sad”.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, she said: “People who come to watch shows at Titchfield Festival Theatre are a diverse spectrum.
“I want it to reopen for my daughter and all the children. There is nothing quite like it.
“The theatre is incredibly inclusive and there is nothing else quite like it.
“If this is a result of the planning issues with Fareham Borough Council, the council should hang its head in shame. The theatre is a community asset.”
An email from TicketSource sent to a customer on Tuesday, April 28, said the theatre’s 2026 pantomime has been cancelled “due to having ceased trading”.
Customers who have booked online or over the telephone with TicketSource will receive a refund for tickets and a booking fee.
Cllr David Hamilton, leader of the Liberal Democrats in Fareham, said the closure is a “significant blow to our community”.
He said: “Titchfield Festival Theatre has been a hugely important part of our local cultural life for many years. It has brought people together, provided opportunities for performers, and offered something genuinely special for audiences across Fareham and beyond.
“There will be a strong feeling locally that we should do everything possible to retain as much of Titchfield Festival Theatre as we can. It has been a real asset to Fareham, and I hope that, in some form, its legacy can continue.”
On Companies House, it states that Kevin Fraser was removed from the post of director at the theatre on April 27.
In January, a statutory inquiry into the governance of Titchfield Festival Theatre Limited began after a complaint about its activities was received in May 2024.
The Charity Commission investigation came after the company losing a High Court appeal against an order to close one of its venues in April 2025, after the £1.7 million development was built without planning permission.
The Commision confirmed that the inquiry remains ongoing.
Titchfield Festival Theatre has been contacted for more information.