Plan to modernise art deco theatre is approved

The existing canopy will be refurbished and illuminated lettering will be installed at the front, the council says

Multi-million pound plans to revamp a 1920s town theatre have been given the go-ahead.

A single-storey rear extension would be built at the rear of the Ipswich Regent Theatre as part of the project and a wall of fame mural would be created at the entrance.

Ipswich Borough Council's planning department approved the plan on Wednesday and project managers hope the work could be completed by December 2025.

Jane Riley, the Labour portfolio holder for culture and customers, said she and colleagues were "thrilled".

'Show will go on'

As part of the project, the existing canopy will be refurbished and illuminated lettering will be installed at the front.

The theatre's bars, Crush Hall and Circle Lounge would also be modernised, the council said, and toilet facilities would be improved.

The Grade II listed art deco theatre opened in 1929 and offered cinema viewings until the mid-1980s.

It was bought by the council in 1991 and £3.45m was set aside in its budget for the project earlier this year.

The site will close in May for the renovation work, the council says, and the majority of shows will be performed at the Corn Exchange.

Riley said: "When the curtain closes in May the show will still go on, so we're looking forward to engaging with our visitors to ensure they are part of the legacy of the theatre for years to come."