Extra funds to refurbish historic theatre agreed

Changes will be made to the Grand Hall at Dorking Halls as part of improvement works

An additional £3.34m of funding to modernise a historic theatre in Surrey has been agreed.

The proposals for the funds for Dorking Halls will be voted on by the full Mole Valley District Council on 14 October.

The councillor overseeing the project said the Art Deco venue was "arguably the largest and most comprehensive in the eastern part of Surrey".

Dorking Halls is due to close from mid-April to early December in 2026 while the refurbishment takes place.

Dorking Halls in Surrey was built in 1931

The building was previously closed between June and December last year for the first phase of the renewal programme.

In September 2024, the council agreed to allocate £6.1m for further repairs.

It was later discovered that work would take longer and cost more than originally expected because of rising material and contractor costs, as well as the loss of anticipated grant funding.

Councillor Nick Wright said improvements would include ending Dorking Hall's reliance on gas

Nick Wright, the cabinet member for leisure and community assets, said that the improvements would include replacing the mechanical and electrical system, ending Dorking Hall's reliance on gas and upgrading the Grand Hall's lighting and staging equipment.

"We anticipate significantly reducing our carbon emissions associated with the hall and we also hope that we will be decreasing our ongoing energy costs just through the extra efficiencies of the new systems," he told BBC Radio Surrey.

"But also, critically, we will be guarding against any unforeseen shutdowns, which would be very bad news if we got shows booked and so forth and something went wrong with the mechanical system in the halls.

"We would not be able to open, and that would be a significant loss."

Keith Garrow is the general manager of Dorking Halls in Surrey

The venue's general manager, Keith Garrow, said it was also essential to replace the heating and cooling systems.

"It's just keeping pace, making sure we have a contemporary venue inside a historical building, which is fit for the next 20, 30, years," he said.

Dorking Halls was originally built in the 1930s and became renowned because of its association with the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams.

It has been suggested that if the building was closed in 2026, that Pippbrook House in Dorking could be available for bookings as an alternative venue