Auckland’s St James: a political football

Back in the day - the Queen St "Theatre Centre" in 2001. (Image: NZME)

Wed, 08 Jan 2025

Over its 97-year history, Auckland’s St James Theatre has played host to stars of stage and screen, put on a royal variety performance, been ravaged by fire, abandoned and vandalised. Today, its role appears to be that of political football. An agreement in 2023 between the Government, Auckland Council and the theatre’s owner finally offered hope that the Category 1 heritage building would be preserved for future generations. But 18 months on, the decaying Spanish Colonial-style theatre and the empty lot on its Queen...

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