New roof built at Peterborough theatre shut by concrete crisis

Paul Jepsen says he is "delighted a programme is going on to support the roof with a temporary structure"

A temporary roof structure will allow a theatre which shut after unsafe concrete was discovered to reopen for the pantomime season.

Key Theatre in Peterborough closed its main auditorium last month after Raac (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) was found in the roof.

The council has spent £177,000 on what they call "essential" remedial work.

Paul Jepsen from Landmark theatres, who run the Key, is "confidently looking forward to reopening for pantomime".

Deputy leader of Peterborough City Council Steve Allen said the price was worthwhile as it was "essential we get the Key Theatre open for the winter season".

Councillor Steve Allen says £177,000 spent on work at the theatre was worth it

Raac was discovered in the theatre's roof which forced the venue to close in September.

John Ginnelly has been in charge of the construction project to prepare the venue for the busy winter period.

He explained his team have a "very small time scale to be working at".

The secondary roof system will be constructed quickly to allow the theatre to safely reopen

He said: "We're putting in some additional supports, that's going to by via steel work and timber work, so we're literally going to support the roof with a secondary roof system underneath.

"Luckily the building's a steel frame building, so therefore the new supports we put in will be off the existing frame."

The existing roof will remain where it is, according to Mr Ginnelly, "for now".

John Ginnelly said the original roof was "full of Raac"

Mr Jepson said he was delighted the theatre, which holds just under 400 seats, was on track to reopen for its winter programming.

He said the scaffolding, which has filled the venue and is right up the building's roof, is like "somebody put a huge set in here".

"They need to be very close to the ceiling so they can start doing steel work next week," he said.

The theatre is expected to reopen on 2 December for the first performance of Aladdin.