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02
Jun 2021
Harrogate Theatre £1m roof replacement well underway
The £1million replacement of Harrogate Theatre’s ageing roof is well underway in preparation for the hopeful return of live shows this year.
The huge scaffolding structure erected around the 120-year-old venue will remain in place until the roof replacement is complete.
The aim is for the roof to be fully stripped back next month in what will mark a crucial stage of the project. The true extent of the works is expected to be revealed beneath.
David Bown, chief executive of the theatre trust, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the venue was planning for the worst but hoping for the best with its sights set on the return of shows in November.
If the roof replacement stays on schedule, shows will return in November. This will mark 20 months since the theatre was last filled with spectators in March 2020.
The theatre's survival has only been possible thanks to around £650,000 in emergency government grants and a fundraising appeal which raised more than £100,000.
There was also a need for the theatre to make 60% of its staff redundant in the wake of £4million losses from cancelled shows.
Read more:
- Outdoor Shakespearean theatre returns to Harrogate this summer
- Tickets go on sale for this year's Great Yorkshire Show
Mr Bown said:
Harrogate Borough Council owns the Grade II-listed theatre and is funding and overseeing the roof replacement works.
The council’s deputy leader councillor, Graham Swift, said once completed the project will provide a theatre fit for the future.
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