Work to start on the Weston-super-Mare's Blakehay Theatre revamp

29th July 2010

Work started this week on a £160,000 to update and improve The Blakehay Theatre in Wadham Street. The 200-seat theatre is used as a base during the day by Weston College students and in the evenings on an occasional basis by local drama groups.

It is also used for rehearsals by the RAFA band and Weston Youth Band and hosts art exhibitions. In addition the theatre’s own in-house company, The Blakehay Players, put on regular productions.

As well as the main auditorium there are also studios on the ground and first floor. The building was originally a church but after the Second World War was converted into a theatre and arts centre for the local community.

Weston Town Council, which is entirely funding the improvements, bought The Blakehay from Weston Civic Society in 2001. Earlier this year the town council put forward a £1.1 million scheme to refurbish the building and transform it into a 21st- century arts centre. But this project was dropped for financial reasons and has now been replaced with the more modest scheme.

The work includes relocating and improving the male and female toilets and creating more cubicles and refreshing the reception area and foyer. There are also plans to upgrade the café bar, and carry out repairs to the theatre’s roof and drainage. Previous plans to revamp the upstairs studio space have been temporarily put on hold in a bid to reduce the costs of the project. It is hoped the work will be carried out in future, subject to funding.

The work is being carried out between July and September to avoid disruption to theatre users and is due to be completed by October.

Weston Town Council clerk, Malcolm Nicholson, said: “The theatre is already popular with community groups and the work will create a further improved multiple use community theatre and arts centre for Weston.”

Source: South West Business