Work on Bognor Regis Theatre 'progressing as programmed', council says
Work on The Alexandra Theatre, in Bognor Regis is ‘progressing as programmed’, Arun District Council confirmed yesterday (October 30).
In a statement released to the public, a spokesperson said that contractors are on site and ‘preparing the area in order to start main construction works shortly.’
Funded by a £12.9 million grant from the previous government’s Levelling Up fund and £2 million of its own money, the regeneration project is set to introduce a number of vital upgrades to the existing space. Seating will be increased from 357 to 386, a new lighting bridge to remove the need for access ladders in the auditorium, five studios for public use, a restaurant, bar and cafe space, outdoor seating, a two-storey foyer and more.
Of the five studios, one will have more than 100 seats, and the other four will have sixty. Studios two and five, meanwhile, will be equipped with ballet bars, mirrors and curtains.
Permission for the works was only made possible thanks to a land-swap deal between Whitbread PLC – which previously owned the long lease on the theatre – and Arun District Council; a deal which set Arun District Council back £750,000 thanks to a significant contract buyout.
The land-swap enabled Whitbread to apply for and begin work on a 116 bedroom Premier Inn on Bognor Regis seafront which, once complete, is expected to contribute £2.8 million to the local economy every year.