The Stage

Newcastle’s Theatre Royal to receive £4.8m renovation loan

Published Tuesday 20 April 2010 at 17:10 by Natalie Woolman

Newcastle City Council is expected to sign off on a £4.8 million loan to the city’s Theatre Royal this week.

The funds are part of the council’s capital programme and will be used to restore the auditorium, which was designed by theatre architect Frank Matcham. The venue will pay off the loan over ten years. The Theatre Royal Trust is funding the project partly through its £1.75 “heritage contribution” on tickets and the council will fund £300,000 of essential repairs.

The restoration project will include new seating in the auditorium and new ventilation and air conditioning systems. It is due for completion by 2011 and the theatre will celebrate its 175th anniversary in 2012.

In a statement, the council’s executive member for resources Peter Allen said: “We are happy to support the renovation of the Theatre Royal by providing this loan. We are confident this will be repaid through the theatre’s heritage contribution on tickets sales and will come at no extra cost to our council tax-payers.”

The Grade I-listed Theatre Royal was built in 1837 but redesigned in 1901 by Matcham after the auditorium was destroyed by fire. The restoration will incorporate Matcham’s 1901 designs.