STAGE SET AS £1 A YEAR DEAL DONE
A STAFFORDSHIRE charity has signed the lease on their new, purpose-built theatre – for the sum of one pound a year.
The outer shell of the new venue has been built as part of Joule’s Brewery’s development of Crown Wharf in Stone, and donated to the Crown Wharf Theatre Charity for a nominal sum as a gift to the community.
It is now down to the charity to transform the shell into a fully-equipped performance and events space, with an internal fit-out of the auditorium, back of house and workshop areas estimated to cost around £750,000.
The charity is taking a phased approach and looking to raise enough money initially to make the space usable.
From there, the theatre can start to be used while fundraising continues.
Fundraising has been under way for 12 months through a sponsora-seat scheme and events like the recent Youtube live streaming of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Now the lease has been signed, fundraising efforts will be ramped up, with the charity looking to raise money through funding bids, corporate sponsors and private donations.
Work will be starting soon on the back-ofhouse areas, which will include dressing rooms and green room facilities alongside an on-site workshop.
When complete, the Crown Wharf Theatre will seat over 200 people in an octagonal auditorium, with all seats moveable to create flexibility for a range of events.
Craig Chesters, Crown Wharf Theatre trustee, said: “We are so grateful to Joule’s for their help in getting the project to this stage. Now we’ve signed the lease and are full steam ahead with bid writing and planning some exciting events for 2021, we’d love to hear from people and businesses who want to get involved to make Crown Wharf Theatre a reality.”