A bidder has been chosen by Sutton Council to bring a Victorian theatre back into use as the decision looks to be rubber-stamped later this month.

The Charles Cryer Theatre saw more than 10 candidates submit proposals for its 25-year lease before they were whittled down to just five.

But it’s been revealed in documents released ahead of a strategy and resources committee meeting that Cryer Arts Limited has successfully fought off the stiff competition.

The startup was formed by founders with experience in construction, leisure, and the entertainment industries.

In a statement, the group said: “We are hugely pleased and excited to be given the opportunity to be the custodians of the Charles Cryer Centre, Carshalton.

“We intend to enable people to ‘make good art’. That is all people and art in all its forms.

“We now enter an intense period of preparation. After signing an agreed lease, we have numerous legal permissions and licences to obtain, the building to rejuvenate, the necessary equipment to install and staff to recruit and train.

“Please be patient for a little longer while we do these preparations, we will update progress on our Facebook page and will be holding a volunteers meeting soon.”

The statement added that ‘Charlie’s Bar’ will be open “as soon as possible”, located on the ground floor and be open seven days a week as both a bar and restaurant.

Councillors on the strategy and resources committee are recommend to agree that Cryer Arts are granted the 25-year lease at their next meeting on October 29.

If this is unsuccessful, then it could be granted to runners-up Nickel Support Limited or Carshalton Baptist Church who are the underbidders, according to the report.

The Charles Cryer was first built as a public hall in 1874 before being used as a roller skating rink and cinema for nearly 40 years, according to the Sutton Theatres Trust’s website.

It was then rebuilt and reopened as a studio theatre by Prince Edward 1991 and has undergone several refurbishment projects since then.

However, after Sutton Theatres Trust took over its management on a 10-year lease in January 2015, the organisation subsequently fell into administration just over a year and a half later.