Stephen Fry leads campaign to keep Southwark playhouse on track

Stephen Fry has called on Londoners to lobby Network Rail to secure the future of Southwark Playhouse.

The actor has backed a campaign to ensure the theatre is provided with a space in the new development of London Bridge station. It will be forced to relocate from under the station's arches in December next year as part of the Thameslink renovation project.

Theatre supporters described the eviction as "the loss of an important cultural institution". Network Rail has refused to commit to offering the theatre a place when the station reopens in 2018.

Fry, filming The Hobbit in New Zealand with Southwark Playhouse patron Andy Serkis, tweeted: "Join Andy Serkis in helping save Southwark Playhouse @swkplay YOUR PLAYHOUSE NEEDS YOU." The theatre has been under the arches since 2007 and in Southwark borough since 1993. It is calling on supporters to email Southwark council, which is in consultation with Network Rail, before the deadline for responses on Saturday.

A playhouse spokesman said: "All the venues we're looking at have short-term leases. That's why we want to be considered for a place in the station complex. It's not looking likely they're going to include us." He added: "There's been a lot of talk about closing but that won't happen."

Network Rail is offering help with relocation but a spokesman said it would be "foolish to commit to a promise we can't keep".

"It's not a 'no' but we can't give any firm commitment."

He added that businesses wanting to return to the station could do so "provided it makes sense for both of us".