Opened in 1887, the Coliseum was one of the oldest British theatres still operating, and was much loved by its loyal supporters – perhaps more so since its demise in March 2023.

Once a circus, in the 1930s it was briefly a cinema before becoming the members-only Oldham Repertory Theatre. It was said to be one of the most haunted theatres in Britain, and a famous stage death occurred there in the 1940s.

By the 1950s-60s the resident company helped to form the careers of Coronation Street stars Jean Alexander, Pat Phoenix, Roy Barra-clough, William Roache and local girls Barbara Knox and Anne Kirkbride.

In 1978 it became the Arts Council and local authority-supported Oldham Coliseum, offering a mix of pro-fessional productions of its own and other touring shows, It was famous for its massively-popular annual pantomime.

Plans for a new building were scrapped in late 2018 and the withdrawal of an Arts Council "NPO" grant in late 2022 led to the theatre's closure in March 2023. After a widespread campaign by supporters, a plan to build a new, smaller theatre was dropped in 2024 and the Coliseum is to be refurbished and reopened by Christmas 2025.