(New petition as of 18 Aug 2021) 

We the undersigned object to the development application D/2021/893 lodged by Central Element and further call upon The City to return it to a working medium sized (800-1,000 seat) theatre.

This development application  will remove The Metro-Minerva Theatre from Sydney’s potential theatre stock forever.

Central Element’s plans call for a 63 room boutique hotel space to be built over the fly tower and a 450 restaurant with performance capabilities and a 300 seat black box space and nightclub to be housed in the original theatre seating space.

There are no guarantees from Central Element that these spaces would work and that they would be affordable. 

Please join us and act now to preserve this heritage listed building as a theatrical space, not a hotel in an already well supplied market.

The Metro-Minerva Theatre presents a golden opportunity to establish desperately needed cultural infrastructure by returning the building to its original purpose which will deliver huge economic benefit and stimulus to the community and Sydney’s theatrical life.

Multiple studies and papers such as the Hawkridge study recently commissioned by the City of Sydney and Create NSW show in an overwhelmingly positive light that the building can be restored to a 800-1.000 seat performance space and deliver positively to the area.

Vitally, the study canvassed the live performance industry and evidenced the strong market demand for the Metro-Minerva by commercial theatre producers, performing arts companies, festivals and independent operators.

This petition is a call to arms to stop this new grab by developers of a much needed medium to larger capacity live venue space in the heart of Sydney.

In the words of Andrew Andersons, former State Architect and supporter of the Metro-Minerva’s retention as a live theatre “The best way to preserve a heritage space is to use it for the purpose for which it was intended”. 

The Minerva should and can be returned as a major working theatre.

Please sign and share!

Donations on change.org go to change.org for “promoting the petition” not to the action group.

If you would like to donate, please do so via our GoFundMe

Warmly,

Metro Minerva Theatre Action Group

metrominerva.com