King's Theatre in Gainsborough receives cost-cutting makeover

The building's façade has been repaired and repainted

A Victorian-era theatre in Lincolnshire has been restored to its former glory thanks to a cost-cutting makeover.

The King's Theatre in Gainsborough was in a state of disrepair when it was bought by local businessman Lee Fox in 2016.

Mr Fox, who carried out much of the renovation work himself, said it had been a "labour of love".

In order to reduce costs, he also bought numerous items at auction, including the bar and toilets.

Mr Fox said it had been a labour of love but the results had been worth it

Mr Fox, who runs a sand and aggregate business in Scunthorpe, bought the venue after the town's mayor, Richard Craig, intervened to stop it being auctioned off after discovering the building's at risk status.

At the time, it was thought the Victorian theatre, which has also been used as a cinema and bingo hall over the years, was destined to become a restaurant.

However, Mr Craig said he managed to get the auction stopped after presenting papers from the Theatres Trust.

The newly-renovated venue also boasts an array of fixtures and fittings bought from an online auction

Mr Fox said: "When I first saw the building, I just loved it and thought there is so much we can actually do with this."

However, he conceded the revamp had proved to be "a bit of a challenge".

"Life is never meant to be easy - but it's turning into what I hoped it would be," he said.

The original floorboards have been hand-sanded and stained

Talking about the renovation, Mr Fox said he "couldn't have imagined" the extent of the work, as there were lots of issues hidden from view, including a bouncy floor with "nothing much" holding it up.

He said the venue had been re-plastered throughout and the original floorboards hand-sanded and stained.

Mr Fox said he had also gone though thousands of nails boarding parts of the floor.

The original dado rail now incorporates 27 gold swags, hand-painted by a local specialist firm

Specialist gold paint was used to apply a new design on the theatre's original dado rail, which took about two months to complete as it could only be done at certain times of day due to the humidity in the building, Mr Fox said.

The stained-glass window in the building's old projector room has also been restored by a local specialist

Mr Fox said he had also used recycled materials wherever possible.

"I've been buying a lot of items from auction sites," he said.

The venue now boasts a cut-price mahogany bar

Mr Fox said one of his best buys was a mahogany bar front which came from a sixth-form college in Scunthorpe.

The back of the bar also came from a former nightclub in the North Lincolnshire town, called Henry Africas, along with an industrial dishwasher.

Mr Fox said the whole bar area cost him about £2,000 - having had quotes of more than £30,000 for the same thing from new.

Mr Fox said he spent about £300 refurbishing the venue's toilets and shower room with second hand items he bought online

He also avoided splashing out on the plumbing, spending about £300 to refurbish the venue's toilets and shower area.

"To do the same thing from new would have been £6-7,000," he said.

Other items included cut-price carpet tiles, light fittings, tables, chairs and a moveable stage

The mechanism for the original stage curtain has also been stripped and cleaned

'Electric atmosphere'

Mr Craig, who has supported Mr Fox during the process, said the theatre was previously in "a terrible state" of disrepair, and it was "quite emotional" to see it restored to its former glory.

The town's mayor, Richard Craig, said it was amazing to see the transformation

"I've lived in Gainsborough all my life and I think it's so important to keep the history and heritage and if we can protect such a wonderful building as this then why not?," he said.

Mr Craig recalled going along to the venue with his nan during its time as a bingo hall

Talking about its history, Mr Craig said it would have been the only place of entertainment for the local community in its early days, and the atmosphere would have been "electric".

"To have such a special venue open again to the community and to other groups will be amazing," he added.

The venue, which saw its renovation delayed due to the pandemic, is expected to reopen later this year

Mr Fox said the venue was due to open later in 2022, once the finishing touches were in place, including carpet tiles which he bought for about £1 a square metre.

He said it was hoped the theatre would be used for a variety of purposes, including shows and gigs, as well as hosting local events and groups.

"It's an old building that deserves looking after and I hope people will enjoy coming here," he added.