Mercury Theatre

Reflecting on how Theatres Trust's support helped a theatre through a major redevelopment project. 

Opening in May 1972, the Mercury Theatre in Colchester is a few years older than Theatres Trust. While we can lay no claims to its creation, we have had a hand in helping to ensure the theatre has adapted and can continue to entertain audiences for many years to come

Beginning in 2018, the Mercury underwent a £9.8 million extension and refurbishment project, Mercury Rising, to provide an improved and more inclusive space for its local community to enjoy. Theatres Trust was happy to support the theatre’s planning application for this work.

Through our Accessible Theatres Scheme, we gave the theatre a £5,000 grant to enable hearing loops to be installed to support audiences and hirers, staff and artists in all public areas of the Mercury Theatre, including rehearsal spaces, meeting rooms and box offices.

But more significantly, when the pandemic hit, Theatres Trust played a pivotal role in getting the Mercury Rising project back on track. Our conversations with the government highlighted the plight of theatres like the Mercury, whose capital projects has been subject to delays and increased costs due to the pandemic. This led to the creation of the Capital Kickstart Fund as part of the government’s Culture Recovery Fund. We were delighted that the Mercury was one of 30 theatre recipients for this vital funding and its capital project was completed.