Harlow Renaissance worked with Harlow Council on the development of proposals for a new larger scale regional theatre. Whilst the project is designed to be complementary to the Town Centre North Development, is intended to be taken forward as an independent work stream.
Plans include an iconic new theatre venue to seat 1,500 in the main auditorium and 300 in the second performing space. The venue is to be centrally located and will replace the current Playhouse.
On behalf of the Council’s Theatre Development Panel, Harlow Renaissance commissioned Ancer Spa to produce two reports: the first to assess the feasibility of the project and to produce a Business Plan, the second to understand operational and management options for supporting and engaging with community user groups.
A number of key benefits are sought from the proposed new venue by major stakeholder and local residents whose opinions have been canvassed.
Major impact on regeneration of the town, evidenced by:
- more outside visitors and spending
- a higher quality and more vibrant night time economy
- improved image of Harlow
- increased status as a sub-regional centre.
An enhanced cultural offer for Harlow and its wider catchment and high community use of and benefit from the facility.
The new theatre can play a key role in engaging with local amateur groups and community organisations to promote activities within the theatre and where possible, link them into the expertise that the college and university can offer, in order to develop their capacity and associated skills.
Key findings of the Business Plan include:
1. That within a 40 minute drive time catchment area, theatre going habits are strong, but there is under-provision of a suitable mix of live performances. Most of the potential audience relies upon central London to get what it wants. A new theatre venue in Harlow of sufficient scale will fill this gap, potentially increase the rate of theatre going and capture a reasonable proportion of those who would otherwise travel into London.
2. The research has identified the need for a significantly enhanced offer in the form of West End shows and musicals, original artist rock bands and a greater diversity of drama and other genres, if sufficient numbers of theatre goers are to be attracted to make the new Harlow venue viable. For this to happen, the venue needs to be of sufficient scale to attract the types of performance promoter that will provide this calibre and diversity of show.
3. The study has identified that these attendance numbers are achievable and that the theatre can operate viably, if the above conditions can be met. There are 2.9m people within the catchment area, generating 2.5m attendances of live performances per annum. 2.6m people live between 20 and 40 minutes drive time of Harlow and the new theatre would need to attract 8% of these annually. 35% of residents surveyed from these areas stated they would use the new Harlow venue if more of the above types of show were offered or if they were suitably advertised.
4. The new theatre will involve a large investment: some £35m. Spending cuts will restrict external funding for the next 2 to 3 years. Though funding could begin to become available after this, internally generated funding, through development gains or asset sales will be essential to getting the new theatre developed.