Improvement works have now begun on The Little Theatre
Published Wednesday, 20th September 2023
This is the last of the three Colne theatres in the newly formed Heritage Quarter to have major refurbishment work start.
A total of £3,487,000 has been awarded to the three Colne theatres – The Muni Theatre, Pendle Hippodrome and the Little Theatre - from Round One of the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
A total of £262,500 will enable Colne Dramatic Society to future-proof The Little Theatre. The project will incorporate a single storey extension, including wheelchair access and facilities, along with a modern foyer, additional toilets, a green room and kitchen/bar.
The work is already taking shape and is expected to take 15 weeks to complete, with an expected end date of just before Christmas.
Councillor Asjad Mahmood, Leader of Pendle Borough Council, said: “The impact of the Levelling Up funding will result in upgraded theatres for local residents and visitors to enjoy.
“All three theatres are such important assets for Colne and this major investment will really give the town a boost and attract even more people to Pendle.”
The Muni Theatre has been allocated £1,563,300 for a major refurbishment of all of the theatre, including new roofing and windows, along with new heating and lighting to improve energy efficiency that will deliver reduced carbon emissions.
Scaffolding has been erected both internally and externally and most of the interior has been stripped back to the bare bones. The refurbishment work will be finished in time for the annual pantomime in January 2024.
Pendle Hippodrome received £1,661,100, which will enable alterations to the ground floor and first floor of the former historic Derby Arms public house, to extend the theatre.
New lifts and the redevelopment of the existing theatre’s foyer, box office and toilet areas are also included in the plans.
Things are already taking shape, with walls being knocked through linking the two buildings internally. The new, extended theatre is due to be complete in June 2024.
Councillor Mohammad Hanif, the Council’s Portfolio Holder for Leisure Services, added: “This funding really is a lifeline to secure the futures of each of these well-loved theatres and will enable them to provide quality entertainment for residents and visitors for years to come.”