Step forward in plans for £3.45m upgrade scheme at Ipswich Regent Theatre, in St Helen’s Street, as formal plans lodged

Plans to revamp a popular theatre in Ipswich have taken a step forward as formal proposals have been lodged.

Last week, Ipswich Borough Council submitted proposals to make major changes to the Regent Theatre, in St Helen’s Street.

Highlights of the plans include a refurbishment to the entrance canopy influenced by its look when the building first opened in 1929 with an illuminated sign, improved wheelchair access, the crush hall being opened up plus a makeover for the upstairs circle lounge.

In addition, toilets would be extended, a new lift – complete with a tower – would be built and the foyer would increase in size due to it returning to its original layout.

The upgrades will be paid for using a ticket levy, which was introduced on August 5, following a meeting of the borough council’s executive in July.

This meant all tickets over £10 are charged an extra £1.70.

This saw an additional 20p added to ticket prices on top of a levy introduced in July 2023 to pay for the same scheme.

The entire project is expected to cost about £3.45 million – £450,000 more than when it was first proposed last year.

As part of the plans, the bar in the crush hall will be removed and replaced with a curved, elongated one, which the theatre hoped would allow it to serve people faster during the pre-show and intervals.

The room would return to a crescent-style shape.

In addition, the stage in the circle bar will be removed, the existing bar will be replaced and the kitchen will be repurposed as a cellar to allow for the installation of a new wheelchair accessible toilet near the new lift.

Bar capacity could be increased to between 1,000 and 1,500 people, or about 450 to 500 per bar.

Cllr Jane Riley, who presented the plans to the executive, said: “Customer feedback shows that the Regent Theatre’s audience would like additional toilets, less queues at the bar and for it to be easier to access and move about the venue.”

She hoped it would ‘ensure that the Regent Theatre remains at the forefront of Ipswich’s visitor economy for many years to come’ by improving the experience of every member of the audience.

Cllr Riley said it expected that the works could be complete by December 2025.