Work to start on £20m theatre transformation

Work to transform a theatre complex in a £20m redevelopment will begin in the new year.

About 300,000 visitors use Malvern Theatres each year and the work will include building a new 240-seat studio theatre for community work, an outdoor amphitheatre and workshop spaces, plus improvements to the Forum Theatre.

Fred Moroni, chief executive officer at Malvern Theatres, said the project would be "transformative", allowing the venues to expand and offer more community theatre, family entertainment and new writing, as well as more arts participation.

He previously said the work would create "one of the largest multi-venue arts centres under a single roof anywhere in Europe".

Councillor John Gallagher from Malvern Hills District Council said it was "an incredibly exciting moment".

He said: "We will soon see work begin on the ground, and this will make our vision feel tangible."

"This theatre will be a powerhouse for creativity, learning, and entertainment, and we can't wait for the community to watch it take shape."

Funding has come from the government's local regeneration fund, formerly known as the levelling up fund.

The project is being led by the council, Malvern Theatres and contractors Speller Metcalfe, with design work by theatre architects Burrell Foley Fischer.

The revamped theatre is expected to open in 2027.

Grange Road North Car Park will be closed throughout the course of the project.

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