Theatre could be built on Swindon bus station site

Swindon Borough Council wants to knock down the town's bus station

A new 2,000-seat theatre on the site of a bus station could form part of a town centre's redevelopment plans.

Swindon Borough Council said the town's Wyvern Theatre at the top of Regent Street is "too small" and no longer fit for purpose.

The authority wants to knock down the bus station and move it to a bus-only boulevard as part of a £30m scheme.

Council leader Jim Robbins, said the council was "actively looking" at building a new theatre on the site.

"It's early stages but we think we have a way to get a new theatre built there," he said.

The new theatre would be a "flexible space allowing it to be adaptable to different events", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Marina Strinkovsky, the council's cabinet member for arts culture and heritage, said the Wyvern was "coming to the end of its life".

"It's a concrete building, it wasn't built as a Regency building intended to last for 300 years and it's too small," she said.

Mr Robbins said the council had no plans to demolish the Wyvern.

"No, we'll keep it, and it will be as a performing space and we'd hope it is well-used by community arts groups," he said.