Reports on the precarious position of British theatres in the face of developer pressure and unsympathetic planning policies. Outlines the work of the Theatres Trust as a statutory consultee in planning applications relating to theatre buildings. Considers the protection offered by key planning documents such as PPS12 on local development frameworks and the emerging PPS6 on town centres and also through the listing process. Change of use is as great a danger as demolition. Theatres are classified as sui generis but if they fall out of use for more than 10 years, they are open to applications for alternative uses. Concludes that the future of theatres will depend on the level of financial resources available for their upkeep but planning policy can help by sustaining sites and by taking account of the role of culture. Provides a recent history of theatres and a case study of the Mermaid Theatre in London.