Royal & Derngate theatre reopens foyer spaces following £1.1m ‘major works’ to tackle RAAC

It was at the start of September last year that the premises unfortunately discovered Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete in its foyers, which resulted in closure and the postponement of performances.

All of the spaces had reopened by October 24 last year, with scaffolding in place and alternative routes into the buildings introduced for the safety of visitors.

Now, almost exactly a year on from the initial discovery, the theatre staff are getting ready to reopen most of the foyer spaces and facilities next week (September 9) following a busy summer of building work.

The main focus has been the “huge task” of reinforcing the foyer to ensure complete safety without the support of scaffolding.

The works were given the green light by building landlord West Northamptonshire Council back in June – which were confirmed to be worth £1.1 million and should extend the life of the current RAAC roof by at least 30 years.

Though the reinforcement works will not fix the problem forever, it prevented the entire roof from having to be replaced. This was estimated to cost £2.3 million and would have meant the theatre shutting its doors once again.

Royal & Derngate chief executive Jo Gordon said: “We talk about going ‘dark’ in the summer because we have no shows on, but the idea that nothing is happening couldn’t be further from the truth.

“Our buildings have been a hive of activity over the last six weeks, and we are delighted that we can now welcome customers back into more of our spaces – with more people able to enjoy a drink in the foyer before the show, better access to the circle level by stairs and lift, and easier access to toilets.”

Once again, all customers for Derngate performances will enter through the main entrance on Swan Street by the box office.

The scaffolding and hoardings in the main foyer area have been removed, and the main bar in the stalls foyer will open once again. This means less time queueing for refreshments and additional seating to relax ahead of shows starting.

Lift access to the Derngate circle level will become available, with the circle foyer coming back into use. This means additional wheelchair spaces are bookable moving forward.

Customers will also be able to access the circle level of the auditorium from both left and right, improving the ease of moving around the space.

“There’s still a little more work to do in some areas of the building, but theatre-goers coming to see Pretty Woman will feel things are really returning to normal,” Jo added.

“We are so grateful for all the support and understanding that people have shown during the last year. We couldn’t have made it through without you.”

Final phases of work will continue into the autumn. Customers for the royal dress circle and upper circle will continue to use the Guildhall Road entrance until the end of October, with further updates coming soon.