The CDU parliamentary group in Römer calls on Ina Hartwig (SPD), head of the cultural department, to do more to preserve the English Theatre.

"The magistrate cannot stand idly by as such a successful cultural institution simply has to close," says Christian Becker, cultural policy spokesman for the CDU.

“We are finally expecting a concrete plan from the head of the culture department next Thursday in the culture committee.

Just nice words don't help!" Becker appeals to the magistrate to "bring everyone involved to one table" in order to find a solution for the cultural institution.

Nicole Nadine Seliger

Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung

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The uncertain future of the English Theater is linked to the change of ownership in the Gallileo Tower.

The rental agreement between Commerzbank AG as the main tenant and the theater as a subtenant, which uses the two floors on the ground floor and basement, ends on April 15, 2023; a rental agreement with the new owner Capitaland is only possible from February 2024.

Use of the theater floors unclear

In addition, there is still a lack of clarity about the use of the theater premises in the Gallileo Tower.

According to information from the English Theater in 1999, the original contract between the City of Frankfurt and the client stipulated that the theater should use both floors.

This obligation should be transferred with every change of ownership.

CDU politician Becker is now questioning whether this was also contractually taken into account in the recent change of ownership from Commerzbank to CapitaLand.

“The development plan as such also provides for a public-intensive use at this point.

But that doesn't seem to necessarily mean that the English Theater will remain at this location," says Becker.

"Since the current owner CapitaLand does not see itself bound by the obligation, the question arises as to whether the obligation, as intended, would be transferred to a consortium when Commerzbank (2013) sold the Gallileo and later by the consortium (2019) to CapitaLand the English Theatre, which claims to have been trying to clarify the terms of the contract since June.

The theater is supported by the culture department head Hartwig, planning department head Mike Josef (SPD) and a law firm.