Theatre makeover thanks to Restoration Fund

Thanks to the loyalty of its customers, Swansea Grand Theatre will soon be getting a new look.

Money from the venue’s Restoration Fund means the main auditorium area visited by hundreds of thousands of people every year is now being repainted.

The Restoration Fund, which was launched in early 2013, sees 50p added to the price of a ticket to raise money for re-investment back into the theatre’s look and feel.

Other works already carried out with Restoration Fund money at the Swansea Council venue include the installation of high-tech hand dryers, the replacement of tub chairs in the box office foyer area and the introduction of new tables and benches in the floodlit garden area. All the older seating in the stalls section of the main auditorium area has also been recovered.

The repainting work, being carried out by a Swansea company called CJ Else Ltd, will be finished in time for the Think Floyd concert on January 29.

Other imminent work includes relaying of the stage, being funded by Swansea Council.

Cllr Robert Francis-Davies, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Development and Regeneration, said: “Restoration funds of this kind are nothing new – theatres like the New Theatre in Cardiff, the Birmingham Hippodrome and a number of West End theatres have all introduced similar schemes in the past. Here in Swansea, it’s a tribute to the generosity and loyalty of the Grand Theatre’s customers that so much money is being raised to improve the venue’s look and feel, upgrade vital facilities and preserve the wonderful visitor experience for many years to come.

“The repainting of the main auditorium area will give the theatre a fresh look, with the gap between performances from the middle of January to the end of the month meaning there’s also an opportunity to upgrade the stage for the first time in many years. The amount of people to have taken to the stage and the weight of heavy equipment has inevitably taken its toll, so this work is needed to benefit thousands more top class performers in future. These works will combine to help cement the Grand Theatre’s place as one of Wales’ best loved and busiest theatres.

“They also come in the wake of a hugely successful pantomime season where customer feedback was yet again extremely encouraging.”

Statistics show 35,000 people enjoyed Jack and the Beanstalk, starring Louie Spence – that’s 1,500 more people than the Snow White and the Seven Dwarves panto, starring Eastenders actor John Partridge, in 2014/2015.

Over 11,500 tubs of ice-cream, 2,500 tubs of popcorn and 4,000 bottles of water and pop were sold. More than 2,000 tickets have also already been sold for next year’s panto, Sleeping Beauty, although cast details won’t be announced till later in the year.

Some of the forthcoming events at the Grand Theatre include Fame the Musical from February 4 to February 6, Paul Carrack on February 9, a commemoration of Swansea’s three-night blitz from February 17 to February 20, and illusionist Derren Brown from March 7 to March 12.

Visit www.swansea.gov.uk/grandtheatre for more information or call 01792 475715.