Video: Notts Tonight’s Kate Chaplin finds out what will happen during the revamp
The second phase of a £3.3m revamp of the Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall starts next week including new bars and outdoor dining.
Building work starts on Tuesday (June 6) and is expected to be completed by the end of October which includes a remodelled cafe bar and terrace, a two-storey canopy and new street-level outdoor seating.
The redevelopment will see the Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall completely shut for two months beginning in September.
Minor work took place last year to the front of the Concert Hall to improve the ticket office and entrance.
Head of sales and marketing Nicola Blackburn said: “It’s about creating a space that people want to come and spend time in, they want to come and enjoy.
“Our catering facilities are quite old now as the bars have been there in the Concert Hall for the last 30 years and the Theatre Royal ones have been there for quite a while as well.
“It’s about freshening up the space – the cafe bar will push out with glass frontage which will be a nice new front door for the building.”
What will be done during the second phase
- Remodelling of Theatre Royal’s ground floor cafe bar and upper floor roof terraces
- Two-storey canopy on South Sherwood Street with new entrances to both
- New street-level outdoor seating under cover of the canopy
- Refurbishing Royal Concert Hall bars
- Modernising Royal Concert Hall’s meeting rooms
- New multi-purpose rehearsal and meeting space
- Improved access and facilities to the stage door, backstage and dressing rooms for both venues
Technical director Dave Guy says the current terrace will be used a lot more once the work is complete.
He said: “The dress circle terrace is used a little bit but we’re going to get a canopy over the whole thing.
“It won’t be completely closed off but it will be sheltered from the rain so when the sun comes out it will be a great place to have a drink.
“It’s to completely open this bit out with completely new flooring and will be much more of a destination to come and check out.”
Dave said ‘all hands will be on deck’ when the work starts.
He said: “Next week, the hoarding goes up, the containers go up and we start blocking off the area to get the builders in.
“We’ll still have access on the site for days when there are shows so people will still be able to come and see the shows and it will be worth it when it’s all done.
“I’m slightly terrified but we’ve been looking at it for quite a long time and it has been rushing up upon us but finally, next week, we get started.”
Managing director Robert Sanderson thinks the space will be used more often than just for people watching a performance.
He said: “After building work is completed, people will be able to come and use these two wonderful buildings all day long.
“They will be able to meet here for coffee in the morning, a spot of lunch, dinner or cocktails in the evening.
“The new two-storey canopy on South Sherwood Street will rise up out of the pavement over the first floor roof terrace to create a real sense of space and a real buzz; it will make a striking new landmark for Nottingham.”
Robert apologised in advance for ‘any inconvenience we might cause to customers and passers-by’ but is looking forward to the project to be completed.
He said: “These improvements will involve a substantial amount of building work taking place on one of the busiest streets in the city centre.
“However, I promise the end result will be well worth the wait.
“Please do come and see for yourself in October and let us know what you think.”
