Theatre shut for two years faces reopening delay

The reopening of a theatre in Kent which has been shut more than two years is expected to be pushed back by six months at a possible extra cost of about £11.6m.

The Orchard Theatre in Dartford closed in September 2023 after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac) was found in its roof, and it was expected to be shut until at least May 2025.

Agenda papers for a Dartford Borough Council cabinet meeting on Thursday say "further essential works have come to light that will require attention to ensure the building is fully safety compliant when it reopens."

The papers said there would be a phased handover to Trafalgar Theatres beginning at the end of November 2026.

The building is also expected to be fully operational from the end of November, but residual works could still be being carried out until the end of December.

Although some elements of "design and implementation methodology" need to be confirmed, the council's cost analysis now shows an overall build cost of £28.4m - £11.6m more than previously allocated in February 2025.

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