Spilsby Sessions House (Spilsby Theatre)

Significance

Spilsby Sessions House became a theatre in 1984, converted from a former sessions house and gaol built in 1827. It features an impressive façade with an imposing tetra-style portico. The auditorium is within the original courtroom and has an end gallery facing a low stage. The holding cells still exist, now used as dressing rooms. A former coach house adjacent provides rehearsal space and a workshop. 

Why is this theatre at risk?

Spilsby Sessions House has been on the Theatres at Risk Register since 2015. 

The theatre’s previous owner The Dandelion Trust, like many small charities, had struggled to cope with the costs of maintaining and renovating a historic building. As a result, the auditorium roof had become unsafe, and the ceiling was in danger of collapse. The auditorium was closed in 2015, and structural support was installed, although volunteers continued programming activities in other parts of the building. A section of plaster ceiling collapsed in the theatre’s bar area in late 2017, further limiting use of the theatre. However, operator Spilsby Sessions House Ltd remained undeterred, continuing a programme of activity and events in the unaffected areas of the building. 

Despite major challenges and setbacks, Spilsby Sessions House Ltd has been proactive both in maintaining a vibrant arts programme for its community and in looking for solutions to repair, restore and ultimately save this important local theatre.  

In 2022 ownership of the theatre was transferred to the Spilsby Sessions House Ltd – an important move that opened up access to public funding. Emergency funding from Historic England enabled essential structural and temporary repair works to stabilise the building and protect it from further deterioration while awaiting the full restoration works. 

Theatre potential

Spilsby Sessions House is the only dedicated arts and community venue in the small Lincolnshire town of Spilsby. In 2016 a group of volunteers came together with the ambition of taking over the operation and ownership of the building and developing a vibrant and viable programme. The Spilsby Sessions House charity has now been formed to lead the capital project. 

The charity, together with the local community, has been working incessantly to see their ambitions for this important local theatre realised. This included successful funding applications in 2018 to enable the commissioning of a viability study, jointly funded by the Architectural Heritage Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund, now National Lottery Heritage Fund, to assess the options and establish the cost of renovating the theatre. 

The study concluded that there is demand and potential for Spilsby Sessions House to become a place for the whole community, providing a broad programme of live performance and cinema as well as community activity, including rentable workspaces. 

A further package of supporting work funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and part-funded by Theatres Trust’s Theatres at Risk Capacity Building Programme, included a review of phasing options for the capital works, the scoping of a heritage activity plan and an economic impact assessment. This concluded that the theatre will play an important role in attracting visitors to the town and boosting the economy through increased footfall. The economic impact assessment indicates that the theatre could generate approximately £500k per year in additional visitor spending to its local area and an additional £80k in additional employment. 

The charity’s major capital works plans were given a massive boost when Spilsby Sessions House was selected as a key project for East Lindsey District Council’s application to the Levelling Up Fund, which was announced as successful in 2023. The funding will allow the main capital project work to commence in a single phase, bringing the theatre back into operation as an arts venue and heritage attraction. 

Current Situation

Since its formation, the Spilsby Sessions House charity has been developing partnerships with key stakeholders, broadening links with its local community and arts organisations to deliver and support a wide range of high-quality arts experiences. The organisation and the capital works project have town and district council support. The Institute of Place Management Vital and Viable Spilsby report commissioned by East Lindsey District Council highlighted the work as an integral project for the revitalisation of Spilsby. 

Since being awarded Levelling Up Funding in 2023, Spilsby Sessions House has been working together with the local authority and its project managers to develop the scheme. Planning and listed building consent applications for the project were submitted in December 2024. We fully supported the planning application, which included general repairs, improving the venue’s accessibility and repurposing outbuildings to provide an all-day café / bar, workspace and meeting rooms. The application was unanimously approved in July 2025. Around a similar time the group secured a major contribution towards its capital project with £1.06m grant from Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Capital Fund. 

Spilsby Sessions House was also successful in its application to the government’s Shared Prosperity Fund to support the development of its community arts programme, Sessions Arts. The programme is further supported by East Lindsey District Council through its successful application to the Arts Council for National Portfolio Organisation status. The production company, Sessions Arts, who will be based in the building when it opens, have been supported by Arts Council England to deliver a venue launch event which will directly involve the community in the creative process. Sessions Arts has been delivering arts events and activities in and around the Spilsby area over several years while the building project has been ongoing, including many successful ’Spilsby Light Night’ events. 

Theatres Trust has been supporting Spilsby Session House while the capital project progresses, helping the group to look ahead to what will be needed to successfully operate the building when it reopens. This has included a grant, Skills Bank support and cohort training on business planning and fundraising, all funded through our Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities programme. 

It is currently hoped that building works will complete and that the theatre will be reopened for live performance in 2027, to coincide with the building’s 200th anniversary. Until further progress is made on the capital works, it is considered prudent for Spilsby Sessions House to remain on the Theatres at Risk Register, however, we have lowered the risk level to reflect the significant progress made. Theatres Trust will continue to provide advice and support as required throughout the next stages of the project. 

Watch a video about Spilsby Sessions House's plans with Levelling Up funding.

Main photo Spilsby Theatre, Theatres Trust