The Georgian Theatre Royal has received a grant of £20,000 from Theatres Trust, supported by the Wolfson Foundation, to improve its environmental sustainability.
The funding is part of an initiative by Theatres Trust, in partnership with the Wolfson Foundation, whereby £100,000 has been awarded to five venues across the country through its Theatre Improvement Scheme.
Our share of the funding will be used to replace old boilers and install a new Building Management System that will increase both the effectiveness and efficiency of the ventilation and heating in the Grade I Listed building.
The work will coincide with the ongoing Auditorium Development Project funded by the Hamish Ogston Foundation, which was given the green light last year to provide new more comfortable seating and improved views of the stage. Construction work has taken place during the enforced Covid-19 closure period and is scheduled for completion this spring.
The money from Theatres Trust is in addition to grants from the Pilgrim Trust, the Foyle Foundation and the Normanby Trust that are also supporting the heating and ventilation work.
Clare Allen, Chief Executive of The Georgian Theatre Royal, said: “We are extremely grateful to the Theatres Trust and Wolfson Foundation for this very generous donation. The previous system was only operating at around 65-70% efficiency so this will not only provide a much greener solution but one that will also give vastly superior results.
“When our doors do finally open, we will be able to enjoy a smart, comfortable auditorium with better air quality and a well-regulated temperature.”
Jon Morgan, Director, Theatres Trust said "Despite the immediate issues caused by Covid-19, it is imperative that we continue to focus on the long-term environmental sustainability of the theatre sector. This can be particularly challenging for historic theatre buildings so Theatres Trust is delighted to be able to support The Georgian Theatre Royal in its quest to be more sustainable."