The Liverpool Olympia has formally become a Community Interest Company (CIC), marking a structural change in how the historic West Derby Road venue will operate and develop in future.

The landmark entertainment venue has adopted CIC status as part of plans to expand its community, cultural and educational work. A CIC is a form of limited company designed to benefit the community it serves, with profits reinvested to support its objectives. Unlike a charity, it operates as a business but with legally protected community aims.

Under the new structure, Liverpool Olympia CIC will focus on increasing access to arts, education, training and community engagement activities for local residents. The organisation says it intends to work with the community to identify needs, develop programmes and promote equal opportunities across its operations. It will also seek local, regional and national funding to support its activities.

Alongside programme development, the CIC plans to approach funding bodies and foundations to secure financial support for maintenance and restoration of the Grade-II* listed building.

Designed by theatre architect Frank Matcham, the venue opened in April 1905 as a purpose-built indoor circus and variety theatre with capacity for around 4,000 people across its stalls and three balconies. It featured a basement animal holding area known as the ‘elephant pit’ and a water tank beneath the stage capable of holding around 80,000 gallons for aquatic performances.

Over the past century, the Olympia has hosted performers including Harry Houdini, The Beatles and Little Richard. More recently, artists such as Robert Plant, Paul Weller, Elvis Costello, The Zutons and Robbie Williams have performed at the venue.

The building has also served a variety of other roles, including as one of the first regional cinemas to screen talking pictures, a Royal Naval depot during the Second World War, the Locarno dance hall, and later a Mecca bingo hall.

In 1990, the current owners purchased the neighbouring Grafton Rooms nightclub and later began refurbishing the Olympia after a period of closure. The venue reopened in February 2000 and now hosts live music, club nights, sporting events and comedy shows. It has also been used as a filming location for productions including the television series Peaky Blinders and Tin Star.

Chris Zorba, managing director of the Liverpool Olympia, says: “I’m proud to collaborate with Liverpool Olympia CIC to preserve the 120-year heritage of this iconic building and ensure its future both as an entertainment venue and community hub into the next century.

“Our vision is to continue providing artistic and community programmes, which will now be delivered and developed by the CIC. However, we also see ourselves as custodians of this local asset and want to protect the heritage of the building, as part of this process we will be making a number of applications to funding bodies with the aim of bringing the fabric of the building back to its former glory.”

Alan Smith, head of heritage preservation and development at Liverpool City Council, adds: “Hidden in plain sight, the Olympia is a magnificent example of Liverpool’s architectural treasures, and this Frank Matcham building has played an outstanding part in the city’s musical and performance history.

“The building is the new gateway to the city’s ‘town within a town’ restoration plans that extend from Everton to Bootle and can once again play a leading role in our musical repertoire.

“The Olympia also offers the Elephant Pit in the basement, an amazing space which fizzes with Liverpool’s characteristic sense of history, fun and uniqueness, and where once real elephants were brought in to be raised on to the stage above.”

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