A THEATRE boss has been dismissed with immediate effect after committee members raised concerns about an unpaid £50,000 energy bill.

Simon Parker is the only paid employee of Bacup’s Royal Court Theatre’s charity committee, and held the posts of musical director and youth theatre boss.

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He was sent a letter by The Bacup Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society’s Charity Committee, an organisation of volunteers who help to run the Victorian theatre, following an extraordinary general meeting.

The locks to the building were also changed that evening and a notice of the change posted on the theatre doors. The police were called to prevent any breaches of the peace.

The following evening officers were called to the Henrietta Street stalls entrance to reports of a man trying to gain entry.

Police said a 46-year-old man from Rossendale was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage of property. He has been bailed until June 15.

They said the locks had been damaged by someone trying to change them again.

In the letter to Mr Parker, which was sent to the Lancashire Telegraph, the committee wrote: “We are now aware that the energy supplies were disconnected at the end of January 2015 due to a failure of any payment towards an approximate bill of £50,000 accumulated over a number of years.

“It has been confirmed by the suppliers that they hadn’t reconnected the electricity supply and hadn’t instructed a qualified engineer to do so. However the electricity supply has subsequently been reconnected without their consent, thereby putting the public, members and committee at risk.

“We are led to believe that there isn’t a current CRB filed in your name for this theatre, which is a requirement for your role with minors and vulnerable individuals. This matter is being investigated.”

The committee say they are also investigating claims the accounts have been mis-managed.

An electric bill totalling £32,126.32, addressed to Bacup Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Company Ltd, of which Mr Parker is one of the two directors, has been seen by the Lancashire Telegraph.

It states that the meter was removed by Eon on May 8 - the day after the first performance of the Sound of Music.

Mr Parker had previously said the show was cancelled due an issue with the emergency lighting.

A gas bill totalling £21,197.70 dated April 26, 2015, has also been seen.

Speaking about the criminal damage, a police spokesman said: “We were called just before 8.30pm on May 28 following a report of criminal damage at the Royal Court Theatre. Damage was caused to the locks by the changing of the locks.”

Mr Parker, who is also managing director of the Bacup Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Company Limited, which deals with the day-to-day running of the theatre, said: “I am one of the managing directors of the company.

“This is an ongoing investigation and that’s all I am prepared to say.

“We have taken advice, Ms Round and I, and I am saying nothing to the press.”

Speaking a fortnight ago when the Lancashire Telegraph put the rumour to Mr Parker, he said: “The theatre is to shut to the public until we can sort the emergency lighting. There are rumours flying around. The claim that the theatre has bills in the thousands is incorrect. The power wasn’t put on illegally.

“The theatre isn’t cut off. The emergency lighting is powered by batteries and they were the original ones.”

Electricity provider Eon said it could not comment on a customer’s account due to data protection.

Mr Parker said: “I was the music director for Sound of Music. There was no-one more upset than I when that show was cancelled. We have to put the public interest first. If the power had gone down during the show I would have been prosecuted.

“I’m very upset about it all.”

In February this year the name of the company was changed from the Bacup Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Company Limited – established in 1969 – to The Bacup Theatre Ltd.

Clare Round, the only other director listed on the limited company’s accounts, could not be contacted.

The theatre has hosted acts such as psychic medium Colin Fry, Bacup-born opera star Sean Ruane and has been the venue for an episode of Most Haunted.