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Theatre breaks box office record after £3.5m revamp

Mark BulstrodeSuffolk
News imageIpswich Borough Council The outside of a red-brick theatre with the words Regent Theatre written on the side of a canopy above the main entrance. The photo is taken in darkness with the lights shining Ipswich Borough Council
The Regent Theatre's front of house and canopy were renovated

A theatre that underwent a £3.5m refurbishment has broken its box office record since reopening, a council said.

Ipswich Regent, the biggest venue of its kind in East Anglia, saw its bar areas and accessibility improved, with the Art Deco frontage restored.

The theatre, which opened as the Gaumont in November 1929, has hosted acts including The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Buddy Holly, Dolly Parton, Tina Turner, Little Mix, Girls Aloud and The Darkness.

It reopened in November and Ipswich borough councillor Jane Riley said audiences had flocked back to see the pantomime production of Cinderella.

News imageShaun Whitmore/BBC A view of a bar taken from a seating area, showing tables and chairs and Art Deco style lighting Shaun Whitmore/BBC
The lounge has a new bar and a throwback look to its original fixtures and fittings

"The 2025 festive panto Cinderella has been the perfect production for celebrating the curtains coming up once again at the Ipswich Regent Theatre, and we've already broken the box office record,” she said.

"The energy in the theatre is magical, and we're delighted to be welcoming audiences back into our beautiful venue."

The seven-month project also saw the lounge and foyer areas refurnished, a new staff office and toilet block introduced, with accessibility upgrades including a new lift access and improved ramped access.

News imageThe Regent A black and white image taken outside a theatre showing long queues of people outside. The name above the canopy is Gaumont. The Regent
Hundreds queued to see The Bay City Rollers in 1975
News imageThe Regent Theatre A 1963 theatre poster in yellow, featuring band names in red and yellow for The Beatles and Roy Orbison, and yellow and blue for Gerry and the Pacemakers, with black and white images of their faces. The poster reads: On The stage Gaumont - Ipswich Wednesday 22 May at 6.35 and 8.45 one day only. Other acts listed are Erkey Grant, Ian Crawford, David Macbeth, Louise Cordet, Terry Young Six, Tony Marsh. Seats 10/6, 9/6, 8/8, 7/6, 6/6, 5/6The Regent Theatre
The Gaumont was a stop on a famous 1963 tour, when The Beatles usurped the intended headliner Roy Orbison and became the closing act

The project included Ipswich-based firms KLH Architects, Johns Slater and Haward and Mixbrow Construction, based in nearby Needham Market.

’Iconic cultural asset’

Suffolk brewer Adnams said the 1,500-capacity theatre features the "longest bar we've ever created".

News imageShaun Whitmore/BBC A view of a long bar, showing beer pumps, optics, and a beer mat in the foreground with Adnams written on it. The floor is a black and white check.Shaun Whitmore/BBC
Crush Hall featurers Art Deco lighting and detailed ceiling work, plus the “longest bar” brewer Adnams has created

“This project has not only modernised facilities and improved accessibility but also restored the original Art Deco features that make the Regent such an iconic cultural asset,” said Riley.

"Together with our theatres team, the dedication of everyone involved in retaining the spirit of the Regent Theatre and its place in the heart of Ipswich has been inspiring.”

News imageShaun Whitmore/BBC A mural fills an entire wall creating a collage of black and white headshots and and head and shoulders images of performers, including The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix and Dolly PartonShaun Whitmore/BBC
Many acts that have appeared at the theatre grace a Walk of Fame mural

The theatre is owned by Ipswich Borough Council, with the project funded by a levy on ticket prices.

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