Seaside theatre's £8m upgrade approved

Cliffs Pavilion, in Southend, will remain open while the work is undertaken

A £8m upgrade of a seaside theatre has been approved.

A Southend-on-Sea city councillor said the improvements to Cliffs Pavilion would secure its reputation as an "important tourist attraction".

Work will include the expansion of its restaurant, a new entrance, lobby, outdoor plaza and improvements to the bar, toilets, and lifts.

The theatre will remain open during the work, as there are no plans to change the auditorium or backstage area.

The installation of a new balcony in 1992 was the last major renovation at Cliffs Pavilion

In July Willmott Dixon was announced as the contractor.

Labour councillor, Martin Berry, said: "I like it and can’t imagine anybody is going to object to any aspect of it."

Carole Mulroney, Liberal Democrat councillor, said: "It’s important not only for the region but the city itself that we have a premier theatre that people want to go to on a regular basis."

Conservative councillor Steve Buckley said it would "secure the reputation of the Cliffs Pavilion as an important tourist attraction".

Funds for the project will come from Trafalgar Entertainment, which operates the council-owned building, and £5.5m in central government funding.

The theatre's foundations and some of the framework were first built in the 1930s but work was halted by World War Two and it did not open until 1964.

The main auditorium today seats 1,630 people.