dʒˈɑːn dˈɔɹɪl tˈʊk ˌoʊvɚɹ æz mˈænɪdʒɪŋ dᵻɹˈɛktɚ fɹʌm hɪz fˈɑːðɚɹ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti fˈaɪv ænd plˈænd tə ɹˌiːdɪvˈɛləp ðə sˈaɪt æz ʃˈɑːps ænd ˈɑːfɪsᵻz wɪð tˈuː smˈɔːlɚ θˈiəɾɚz, bˌʌt ˈɑːksfɚd sˈɪɾi kˈaʊnsəl ɹᵻdʒˈɛktᵻd ðɪ aɪdˈiə.
John Dorrill took over as managing director from his father in 1965 and planned to redevelop the site as shops and offices with two smaller theatres, but Oxford City Council rejected the idea.