Decision

To allocate the remaining E17 funding (£28,000) to the Princes Theatre and associated areas including Essex Hall Bar, for a range of upgrades to improve its appearance, functionality, and future-proof its facilities.

Reasons for the decision

This Decision has been agreed via the three Decisionmakers listed above; two confirmed via email and one via telephone conversation on 3rd Feb 2025.
Princes Theatre is a strong asset in the local visitor economy, for residents and visitors from further afield alike; staging/hosting circa 150 shows, conferences, weddings, and other events per year.
Work has already been undertaken to the dressing rooms, plant room (off the bar area), and the décor of the main Auditorium to improve functionality and appearance; funded via the ticket booking admin fees.
It is proposed to support further works as follows with the total amount capped at £28,000 and to be completed in their entirety by the UKSPF deadline of 31st March 2025.
Furthermore, the current lighting desk in the Theatre is reaching the end of its current life and will be in need of replacement in the near future. The lighting desk is used to control all the lights in a theatre used in a show, as well as controlling effects, and can be programmed to repeat actions and store them in a memory so that large shows such as pantomime are not only achievable but can be delivered to the same high quality every time. This is an integral part of the theatre’s technical equipment and the current one is near the end of its shelf life, and with the advent of newer technology in lighting fixtures it will result in becoming obsolete in the near future.
Specifics as to the procurement process undertaken thus far can be found in the attached Executive Decision Form.

Alternative options considered

The UKSPF underspend must be spent and delivered in full by 31st March 2025, or else be returned to Central Government; there is no option to carry forward as this financial year is the end of the current programme.
This capital funding has been made available to other projects across the Council, and via Open Call to external organisations in 2024, but no suitable projects have come forward.
These improvements to the Princes Theatre represent an opportunity to future-proof the service and facilities on offer as well as meeting the objectives of UKSPF intervention E17, which aims to deliver improvements to the local visitor economy.