£800k Wolverhampton Grand Theatre revamp gets go-ahead
The £800,000 redevelopment of the Grand Theatre has been given the nod.
Wolverhampton council will spend £400,000 on the refurbishment project, with theatre bosses looking to match the amount in order to fund an entirely new front-of-house area at the Lichfield Street venue.
It will feature a revamped stalls bar and foyer, with the new Encore Lounge providing more seating and creating a small stage for extra performances such as comedy and live music.
The upstairs bars will also undergo a revamp, with stylish new furniture also part of the plans.
Theatre bosses say the investment is crucial to enable the venue to increase future revenue. They will receive the money once they have shown they can match the amount.
Grand Theatre spokeswoman Vicky Price, said: "We are currently working on a fundraising strategy which we are hoping to launch in the next few months.
"The plans are coming together for what promises to be an exciting time for the theatre."
Work is set to start on the project next summer, with a grand opening pencilled in for autumn 2016.
The council secured funding for the scheme from The Black Country Local Education Partnership, which aims to increase visitor numbers to the city. The theatre is also looking for corporate sponsors to support the refurbishment.
The revamp forms part of a £10.4m facelift of the Civic and Wulfrun halls,which is due to start in the new year.
It will see an increased capacity at both venues as well as new toilets and bars. The halls will be able to accommodate a combined 5,000 people once the work is completed, which is set to be by mid-2017.
