Stockton Globe

How Theatres Trust supported a local authority to revive a theatre

Located in the heart of Stockton-on-Tees, the Grade II listed Globe Theatre is a shining example of how our work with local authorities can have a positive impact on people and places.

This Art Deco style inter-war theatre started out as a variety house, before being converted into a cinema, and latterly a bingo hall. The theatre was placed on our first ever Theatres at Risk Register in 2006, after having fallen into disuse ten years prior.

Recognising the economic potential of the restored theatre in reviving the town’s high street, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council was eager to see the now significantly deteriorated Globe reopened. Theatres Trust supported the council and wider project team in realising this vision. We provided advice on planning applications and listed building consents and supported various funding bids.

With plans approved, initial funding secured, and theatre operator ATG Entertainment onboard, the Globe was removed from the Theatres at Risk Register in 2011. In the following years the council continued to support the restoration project with significant financial backing and in spring 2021 the theatre reopened.

The Globe’s renewal is an important reminder that creative spaces and cultural venues have a significant role to play in the regeneration of our high streets, with the theatre projected to bring £18 million to the local economy every year and attract over 200,000 visitors to Stockton. With meaningful support from local authorities, these ‘cultural anchors’ can become major economic contributors to our towns and cities and provide much-needed space for local communities to come together.

This case study was produced as part of our Fifty@50 campaign to mark our 50th anniversary in 2026.

Photo credit: Sally Ann Norman