INTERVIEW: New paid jobs at Morecambe Winter Gardens as restoration set to enter next phase

Thursday, 14 March 2024 17:02

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

Professor Vanessa Toulmin, chair of the Winter Gardens Preservation Trust

New jobs will be created at the Winter Gardens in Morecambe as the restoration of the grand old theatre moves into its next phase.

The new paid positions - to include a programmer, volunteer co-ordinator and project assistant - will be advertised in a few weeks' time.

The staff will work on the ongoing plans to restore the theatre to a fully open and functioning concert venue.

"We're going to have new positions funded by the grant," said Professor Vanessa Toulmin, chair of the Winter Gardens Preservation Trust, during an interview with Beyond Radio this week.

"I will advertise those in the next two or three weeks. I want local people to apply for them and people who love Morecambe to apply for them."

The theatre reopens to the public on Easter Saturday, March 30, after being closed during the winter months for work, including the restoration of the foyer mosaic floor, staircases, ceilings and walls.

Work will then start in April on the back of the building, including new back doors, stage doors and windows, and the installation of a new sound and lighting system, to be completed by June.

LISTEN to our interview with Professor Vanessa Toulmin

In 2023, the Winter Gardens received £2.8m in government cash towards the restoration of the Grade II* listed building.

The money brought a cash injection of £2.5m of capital to the building, alongside £700,000 of additional funding including £200,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Professor Toulmin said the eventual aim is for the Winter Gardens' capacity to be 1600 standing, and 11-1200 seating, bringing it back to the levels of its heyday.

Long-term, the plan is to build a new extension and new toilet block where the existing portable toilets are, with lifts up to the Circle on the first floor and accessibility for people with mobility issues. This will open up the Circle for concert events for the first time since the theatre closed in 1977.

The targeted date for the extension is 2026.

In the meantime, the Winter Gardens will be starting up regular online 'conversations' to keep people informed on the restoration work, and find out what residents and visitors want to see at the theatre in future, in terms of live music.

The first of these events is on Friday March 22 at 11am, when Professor Toulmin will be joined by Stephen Anderson (Buttress), Jamie Pratt (Place Capital Group) and Michael Rieveley (Rieveley Resoration) to discuss the building and its historic nature, the ongoing restoration, and future capital works. You can sign up to attend here.

"We want to ask the people of Morecambe what they want (in the theatre)," said Professor Toulmin.

"We want to make sure we're preserving this building for the next generation.

"I want the latest up-and-coming bands, and I also want things that people have never been able to get in Morecambe.

"We've got two years to experiment and find out what works, that's going to be exciting. But let's get the windows done first!"

Events taking place at the theatre this year include the Silents by the Sea silent film festival, Morecambe Bay Art Fair, Morecambe Poetry Festival and Vintage by the Sea, as well as regular weekend tours.

The theatre will be open for the season on Saturdays and Sundays from March 30.

"We want everyone to come back at Easter, see the work we've done and celebrate it," said Professor Toulmin.

Online bookings for tours can be made here.

THE HISTORY OF THE WINTER GARDENS

The Winter Gardens Morecambe opened in 1897 as the Victoria Pavillion Concert Hall and Variety Theatre, as an extension to the existing Winter Gardens Complex which opened in 1878.

Over the years it was the home of the internationally renowned Morecambe Music Festival, played host to Sir Edward Elgar, the Halle Orchestra and many others from variety, music and theatre. From The Who to Dame Julie Andrews, Chung Ling Soo to Lawrence Olivier, the venue’s history is a roll call of stars of popular music and variety theatre.

Built as both a concert hall and variety theatre, its 2500 capacity was one of the largest in the North West and it quickly became known as the Albert Hall of the North.

With its lavish interiors, striking architectural features and a view to rival the bay of Naples, the Winter Gardens was at the heart of a thriving seaside resort.

By the mid-1970s, its fortunes were in decline and by 1977, the decision was taken to close the whole complex, culminating in 1982 with the demolition of the original Winter Gardens leaving only the theatre remaining and in a perilous position.

However, a group of dedicated people formed the Friends of the Winter Gardens and have worked together since then with one aim to reopen the building that was once at the heart of Morecambe both architecturally and as a centre for culture and entertainment.

With the formation of the Preservation Trust in 2006, ownership of the Winter Gardens was transferred to the charitable body who have spent years cleaning, restoring, and fundraising to continue this aim.

Now under new governance, the Preservation Trust with the help of restoration volunteers and the Friends of the Winter Gardens are a step closer to those dreams of many decades ago to finally restoring this remarkable Grade II* building.

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INTERVIEW: New paid jobs at Morecambe Winter Gardens as restoration set to enter next phase

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