Archived press release

Date Published: 01/03/07

Local residents are being invited to take a look around Aylesbury’s new theatre with a simple click of a mouse. A virtual tour of the theatre is now available on Aylesbury Vale District Council’s website to give people a taster of wha...

Local residents are being invited to take a look around Aylesbury’s new theatre with a simple click of a mouse.

A virtual tour of the theatre is now available on Aylesbury Vale District Council’s website to give people a taster of what the multi-million pound entertainment centre will offer. The animated webcast takes ‘visitors’ from the spacious main lobby through to the auditorium, function suite, bars and other areas.

The new theatre will be built on Exchange Street, on the area which is currently being used as the temporary Bearbrook car park. First stage construction work will start on site in mid April 2007.

The theatre, which forms one of the centrepieces of the Waterside development, will feature a 1220 seat main auditorium with a standing capacity of 1800, almost twice the size of the current Civic Centre. The acoustic performance of the auditorium has been designed to provide the ideal backdrop for both classical and contemporary music.

A second function space, suitable for smaller drama productions, workshops and community use, will seat up to 240. The centre will also include three bars, four meeting rooms, six dressing rooms as well as full kitchen facilities to support banquets and conferences.

The venue has been designed by internationally renowned theatre architects RHWL, who have designed theatres worldwide. The rolling Chiltern Hills and local woodlands have been used to inspire the design of the centre.

Matthew Partridge, Head of Leisure and Cultural Services, said: “This major leisure development will be of huge benefit to the local economy and will attract upwards of 300,000 visitors each year.

“It is expected that construction will take just over two years and that the building will be completed in late autumn 2009 with the entertainment programme likely to commence in spring 2010.

“The virtual tour will enable internet users to get a real feel for the venue and the facilities that it will offer. We are looking forward to turning virtual reality into reality for residents of the Vale over the next couple of years.”

The virtual tour of the theatre can be found at www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk