Victorian theatre to reopen after 8-year renovation

The newly-renovated venue includes recycled fixtures and fittings bought from across the country

A Victorian-era theatre in Lincolnshire is reopening after eight years of restoration.

The Kings Entertainment Theatre, in Gainsborough, was in a state of disrepair when it was bought by local businessman Lee Fox in 2016.

Mr Fox said he has spent years renovating the building himself on a “shoestring budget” to reduce costs.

The theatre will open again on Friday 5 May.

Lee Fox has been restoring the theatre for eight years

Mr Fox, who runs a sand and aggregate business in Scunthorpe, bought the venue following an intervention by the town's mayor, Richard Craig, after discovering the building's 'at risk' status, to prevent the theatre being auctioned.

Over the course of the renovation, Mr Fox has installed new electrics, new bathroom facilities and a new bar.

“I didn't realise how much work was involved when I took over the building,” Mr Fox said. “Every surface had to be renovated."

Mr Fox hopes the character of the building still shines through after the renovation

Mr Fox has said his main aim was to ensure the lengthy renovation was cost effective, so he scoured the country for items he could repurpose.

“Our toilets came from a NatWest bank in Leeds and our dance floor is from a school in Hemel Hempstead,” he said.

"I want this to be somewhere people can come to have a good time," he added.

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