Levelling Up regeneration of Little Theatre in Colne is complete
Renovation work at The Little Theatre in Colne has been completed and the new-look theatre was unveiled with a version of Alan Bennett’s ‘Talking Heads’.
This is the first of the three theatres in Colne’s newly formed Heritage Quarter to be completed with money from Round One of the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
Work started last September and over the past eight months, The Little Theatre has been transformed.
Levelling Up funds of £262,500 have enabled Colne Dramatic Society to future-proof the theatre with the creation of a single-storey extension, incorporating wheelchair access and facilities, along with a modern foyer, additional toilets, a green room and kitchen/bar.
Coun. Asjad Mahmood, leader of Pendle Borough Council and executive portfolio holder for Growth and Regeneration, said: “It’s great that the refurbishment work on The Little Theatre is complete – and what a transformation.
“It looks amazing and I’m sure audiences will agree.”
Almost £3.5m. has been awarded to Colne’s three theatres – The Muni Theatre, Pendle Hippodrome and The Little Theatre – for refurbishment and restoration work to be carried out to bring them back to their former glory and provide entertainment venues for residents and visitors for years to come.
Pendle Hippodrome received £1,661,100, to enable the refurbishment and alterations to the ground floor and first floor of the former historic Derby Arms public house, with the installation of passenger lifts and the redevelopment of the existing theatre’s foyer, box office and toilet areas.
The first and second floors are complete and the carpet on the ground floor has been fitted. The existing bar in the theatre needs to be removed and a disabled toilet needs to be built in the old box office.
This work cannot be done until the new facilities are in place, as the theatre has remained operational throughout the project.
Pendle Hippodrome is scheduled to be completed by the end of this month and the first opportunity for audiences to see the finished result will be at The Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival during the August Bank Holiday weekend.
This will be followed by the theatre company's production of ‘Sunset Boulevard’ in September.
However, the process has not been so smooth for Colne Muni which will be highlighted in a separate Leader Times article.