Theatre revamp workers 'owed tens of thousands'

Workers hired to refurbish a historic seaside theatre say they are still owed tens of thousands of pounds.

The Marina Theatre, in Lowestoft, Suffolk, reopened in October with a performance from Strictly Come Dancing star Anton Du Beke after a £3m revamp lasting 17 weeks.

The contract was awarded to Derby-based The Input Group last November by Lowestoft Town Council, which owns the 147-year-old venue, but some workers said they had yet to be paid.

The council said "all matters remain between Input Group and the sub-contractors". The Input Group said it "strenuously denied" all allegations of non-payment.

The project was completed in partnership with the Marina Theatre Trust and East Suffolk Council, with funding from UK Government's Towns Fund.

Both the council and the trust declined to comment.

Connor Millward, 34, of CRM Plasterers Limited, told the BBC he had been waiting more than 75 days to be paid £21,500.

"We are only a small, family-run business, and so it's a lot of money which is putting a financial strain on the company, especially at Christmas," he said.

"I've never dealt with this situation in 16 years of doing this. I've always been loyal and respectful, so it is very frustrating and stressful not knowing what's going on."

Rebecca Clement, 52, of Area Construction, which supplied scaffolders, carpenters, and bricklayers for the project, told the BBC she was also waiting for payment.

While she has managed to get some of the money, she said she was still owed £5,500, despite sending her final invoice in September.

"I feel so upset and it's incredibly sad that our local money should have been coming back to local people but it's not, because these people just aren't paying," she said.

"We don't know where to turn any more, and it aggrieves me because it's all very well to boast [about the theatre revamp], but we're sitting here having not been paid."

According to Mrs Clement, another contractor is owed in the region of £50,000, while another worker said he only got paid because he had "leverage and something they needed".

Speaking anonymously, he said: "I've heard there's tens of thousands of pounds owed to local businesses, and it feels like a really cruel act. I feel desperately sorry for the people owed money.

"I consider myself one of the lucky ones and can't help but feel that the due diligence was not done to the sufficient levels."

The refurbishment has seen the creation of a new entrance within a new link building, which has a lift, new toilets, and a larger box office.

Mr Millward said he had been unable to contact The Input Group.

"I must have called the generic number on their website about 200 times and it is just like chasing thin air," he said.

"It is frustrating getting no answer and response, wondering whether you are going to get your money or not."

Mrs Clement said: "You just get 'We will speak to you later,' and then nothing for two weeks.

"And now everything has just stopped."

The town council said it was "concerned" to hear of "contractual disputes" between the company and sub-contractors "they have entered into formal contract with".

But it added that "all matters do remain between Input Group and the sub-contractors as per their contract arrangements".

The Input Group said none of the sub-contractors had officially lodged any dispute for resolution, "strongly suggesting there is no dispute capable of being referred".

"It is unfortunate to learn of such unfounded allegations by, we would assume, a very small number of subcontractors," a spokesperson for the company said.

"We were honoured to have won this contract and sought about engaging as [many] local resources as proved beneficial to ourselves and to the project.

"The Input Group was delighted to have completed the Marina extension and refurbishment, in what proved to be a challenging project, to the complete satisfaction of Lowestoft Town Council."

Update 9 January 2026: This article has been updated to include a statement in response from The Input Group, which was sent to the BBC on the day of publication but was not included due to a BBC error which meant it was not seen.

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