Theatre shuts for 7 months as £3.5m revamp begins

Illuminated lettering will be installed on the venue's existing canopy, which will be refurbished

The curtains at a historical Suffolk arts venue will be pulled shut for seven months today so a multi-million pound restoration can be carried out.

Ipswich Regent Theatre, which has been an entertainment staple in the town since the 1920s, will be closed until 12 December as part of a £3.5m redevelopment project.

The changes will see a single-storey extension built at the rear of the venue, a "wall of fame" mural created at the entrance, and the toilets refurbished.

The St Helen's Street theatre, which is the largest in the East of England, will also boast larger bar areas, while disabled access will also be improved and modified.

Jane Riley, in charge of culture at Ipswich Borough Council, said: "It's going to make the whole space so much nicer and I personally am looking forward to it.

"One common complaint is there nowhere to sit, as there is limited seating now, but where the ladies toilets are currently, that will all become bar space and seats.

"It will be a much more comfortable experience and people will notice that immediately."

The Ipswich Regent Theatre welcomed its first audiences in the 1920s

The proposal for the new-look auditorium was approved by Ipswich Borough Council's planning department in December.

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

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

The final performance before the closure took place on Saturday, with Give A Little Love singer Daniel O'Donnell taking to the stage.

The first show after reopening is due to be the Cinderella Christmas pantomime, running from 12 to 31 December which also includes two adult performances on the 29 and 30 December.

Some of the shows that would have been staged at the venue will instead take place at the nearby Corn Exchange.

"It's a popular venue and it's always a shame to have to close a building but now is the time to do it as the summer is actually a relatively quiet period," added Ms Riley.

"[But once the revamp is complete], it will look and feel a lot nicer to use and will help the experience."

'Looking forward'

Keen theatre-goer Tracey Pearson has watched 102 shows at the Regent in the last 10 years and says she was "very excited" about the revamp.

She currently has one show booked at the nearby Corn Exchange "to fill the gap", but has already booked three events to attend once the theatre reopens.

"We are very much excited and looking forward to returning," she told the BBC.

"My mum is in a wheelchair and if she has to get up to let people past the staff tell the people to give her time to get up from her seat - they are very welcoming and friendly.

"The prices are good and there is something for everyone."

The Grade II listed art deco theatre opened in 1929 and offered cinema viewings until the mid-1980s before being bought by the council in 1991.