Haymarket Theatre called 'special place' on 50th anniversary

Many of the fixtures and fittings on the stage and in the large auditorium have been removed

A Eurovision Song Contest singer has spoken of her "emotional" memories of a city theatre on its 50th anniversary.

Leicester's Haymarket Theatre first opened its doors in 1973, but had a tumultuous history in recent years before it closed for good during the pandemic.

Molly Smitten-Downes, who competed in the 2014 contest, began her career with the Haymarket Youth Theatre.

She said she was "devastated" when it closed in 2020.

Leicester City Council bought both the Haymarket theatre and shopping centre for £9.9m in 2021.

The building is currently used as a performance space by 600 students from the Addict Dance Academy.

Molly Smitten-Downes competed in the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest for the UK

Ms Smitten-Downes, who performed at the theatre's closing show, said: "I always remember that final performance, it's so emotional.

"Everybody feels it because you're performing for the audience, but you're performing for everybody that you're with as well because it's the last one.

"Everybody is very much a family and they stick with you."

Paul Kerryson, who was the artistic director at the theatre for 15 years, said it was a "special place".

"The theatre was the most amazingly designed place," he said.

The Haymarket Theatre, in the centre of Leicester, closed in 2020

"For me, every seat in that auditorium, everybody had an intimate view because it was a real wrap around auditorium with a steep rake.

"From the word go, we were doing the musicals of Stephen Sondheim when not many other people were doing them."

Actor Ray Aucott, who was born in Leicester and attended drama college at the age of 21, was part of the first performance ever held at the theatre.

He said it was "incredible" to be involved in the opening of a brand new theatre 50 years ago.

"It was a really exciting time and a lot of people wanted to work there," he said.

"The atmosphere was stunning."

Leicester City Council bought the Haymarket shopping centre, including the theatre, for £9.9m in 2021