Żabbar’s old Teatru Hompesch is set to be restored to its former glory and turned back into a theatre.

The theatre was built in the 1900s and had a seating capacity of 335 people. For the past 60 years, it has been used as a glass and frame-making workshop run by the Attard brothers known as ‘Ċikku taż-Żebgħa’.

Although the stage has been removed, the theatre itself remains remarkably well preserved, along with several frescoes by Żabbar artist Salvu Asterita, including coats of arms representing every Maltese town and village.

The Żabbar local council has now purchased the theatre for around €700,000 and Mayor Jorge Grech confirmed with GuideMeMalta that it plans to re-convert it into a theatre.

Żabbar once had five theatres and cinemas but only two – Sala Notre Dame and the Blue Arena – are still functional, with Buckingham Theatre converted into a garage complex and Royal Cinema knocked down to make way for a block of apartments.

The local council’s acquisition means that Teatru Hompesch will not only get to avoid the fate of the latter two establishments but that it could once again become a cultural hub for Żabbar.