Roses Theatre

Roses Theatre is an arts centre and performance venue in the centre of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England. Its principal auditorium seats 375 people and is equipped for both live performance and cinema presentation, including 35mm film and digital projection. The venue's programme encompasses theatre, music, film and dance, giving it a mixed cultural role rather than limiting it to a single performing-arts discipline. The theatre occupies the site of the former Sabrina Cinema, an art deco cinema that had closed during the 1960s. Construction began in 1973, but the discovery of Roman remains required the project to pause for approximately six months while archaeologists examined the site. The building was designed by The Preece Payne Partnership of Gloucester, with James Rendell as primary architect and Roger Payne assisting. Despite the archaeological interruption and a national shortage of steel, the project was completed two weeks ahead of its revised schedule. The venue formally opened at a gala on 30 October 1975 attended by Princess Anne. Its first operating phase was as a council arts centre managed by the Courtyard Arts Trust from 1975 to 1980. From 1980 until 1993, operations were handled by The Stennett Company, led by Stan Stennett and his family. A change of operator followed the renewal process for Tewkesbury Borough Council's operating lease. The London-based Crummles Theatre Company was selected in 1993, and the theatre reopened in November 1994 after almost a year of closure for maintenance and refurbishment. The reopening gala featured Ned Sherrin, Michael Palin and Robert Lindsay. The Crummles Theatre Company's financial problems led to its liquidation, and Roses Theatre closed in May 1995. Local business owners subsequently formed The Roses Theatre Trust to restore the venue on a full-time charitable basis. The theatre reopened in 1996 and has continued to operate as a registered charity. This charitable-trust structure is a major part of its modern identity, supporting the venue's role as a local cultural institution. The theatre is also associated with several notable events. In May 1984, comedian Eric Morecambe collapsed shortly after taking his final curtain call at the venue and died soon afterwards at Cheltenham General Hospital. The theatre later named its conference and meeting space the Eric Morecambe Room in his memory. In 1989, the building was adapted into the Crossroads Motel for a roadshow marking the television soap Crossroads' 25th anniversary; manager Stan Stennett had appeared in the programme during the 1980s. In the late 1990s, the venue hosted a one-night question-and-answer appearance by Charlton Heston, followed by a screening of his film Alaska. Heston also helped launch a campaign intended to replace the auditorium's ageing seats. A major front-of-house refurbishment was carried out in 2015. The project remodelled public areas, added a coffee shop, installed a lift to the first-floor bar and redecorated the auditorium, which had not received a major renovation since the early 1990s. The venue's auditorium uses a Continental seating arrangement, designed to avoid losing seats along the theatre's central axis. Roses Theatre therefore combines a compact performance space, cinema capability, hospitality facilities and community-oriented charitable operation within Tewkesbury's town centre.

Roses Theatre stands on the former site of the Sabrina Cinema, an art deco cinema that closed in the 1960s. Construction of the new arts centre began in 1973. During excavation, Roman remains were found, forcing the project to stop while a detailed archaeological investigation took place. The investigation lasted around six months. Because much of the medieval material recovered from the site was judged unsuitable for construction purposes, substantial quantities of ballast were brought in before building work resumed. The theatre was designed by The Preece Payne Partnership of Gloucester. James Rendell served as the principal architect, assisted by Roger Payne. The project also encountered delays caused by a national shortage of steel, but the building was ultimately completed two weeks earlier than the revised schedule. Princess Anne attended the opening gala on 30 October 1975. From 1975 to 1980, the venue operated as a council arts centre under the management of the Courtyard Arts Trust. The Stennett Company then ran the theatre from 1980 to 1993, with Stan Stennett and his family responsible for its operation. When Tewkesbury Borough Council's operating lease came up for renewal in 1993, the Crummles Theatre Company, based in London, was appointed as the new operator. The theatre closed for nearly a year while maintenance and refurbishment work was undertaken, reopening in November 1994. The reopening gala included appearances by Ned Sherrin, Michael Palin and Robert Lindsay. The Crummles Theatre Company later experienced financial difficulties and entered liquidation. Roses Theatre consequently closed in May 1995. In response, local business owners created The Roses Theatre Trust with the aim of reopening the venue as a full-time charitable organisation. The theatre returned to operation in 1996 and has continued as a registered charity. The venue has hosted notable cultural and entertainment events. Eric Morecambe collapsed shortly after his final curtain call there in May 1984 and died soon afterwards at Cheltenham General Hospital. The theatre commemorated the comedian by naming a conference room after him. In 1989, it became the Crossroads Motel for a roadshow connected with the television soap's 25th anniversary. In the late 1990s, actor Charlton Heston appeared at the venue for a question-and-answer evening and film screening, later helping launch a seat-replacement appeal. In 2015, the front of the building underwent a substantial refurbishment. The work remodelled the front-of-house areas, introduced a coffee shop, added a lift serving the first-floor bar and redecorated the auditorium. The auditorium had not been renovated since the early 1990s. Its seating plan follows the Continental system, which is intended to avoid losing seats along the theatre's central axis. The venue's continuing combination of live performance, film, music, dance, hospitality and conference activity reflects its evolution from a council arts centre into a charitable, multi-purpose cultural venue.

• 2015

  Front-of-house refurbishment

  [1]Roses Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Public areas are remodelled, a coffee shop and lift are added, and the auditorium is redecorated.

• 1996

  Reopens as a charitable trust

  [1]Roses Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The Roses Theatre Trust reopens the venue on a full-time charitable basis.

• 1995

  Closure following operator liquidation

  [1]Roses Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The Crummles Theatre Company enters liquidation and Roses Theatre closes in May.

• 1994

  Reopening after refurbishment

  [1]Roses Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The theatre reopens in November after almost a year of closure, with a gala featuring Ned Sherrin, Michael Palin and Robert Lindsay.

• 1993

  New operator appointed

  [1]Roses Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Tewkesbury Borough Council appoints the Crummles Theatre Company as the new operator.

• 1989

  Crossroads roadshow

  [1]Roses Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The venue is transformed into the Crossroads Motel for the programme's 25th-anniversary roadshow.

• 1984

  Eric Morecambe's final performance

  [1]Roses Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Eric Morecambe collapses after his final curtain call at the theatre and dies shortly afterwards.

• 1980

  Operational management changes

  [1]Roses Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The Stennett Company takes over operation of the venue from the Courtyard Arts Trust.

• 1975

  Theatre opens

  [1]Roses Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The completed arts centre opens with a gala attended by Princess Anne on 30 October.

• 1973

  Construction begins

  [1]Roses Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Building work starts on the site of the former Sabrina Cinema, but archaeological discoveries soon interrupt the project.

A locally rooted charitable arts centre combining live performance, cinema, dance, music, community activity and meeting facilities.

• Performance and cinema venue · 1975

  Main auditorium

  The principal auditorium seats 375 people and supports both live performance and cinema presentation. It accommodates 35mm film and digital projection, allowing the venue to programme theatrical productions, film screenings and other staged events in the same space. Its Continental seating arrangement is designed to avoid losing seats along the theatre's central axis.

• Performing arts · 1975

  Live performance programme

  Roses Theatre presents a mixed live programme covering theatre, music and dance. The venue's programming identity is broad rather than tied to one company or art form, reflecting its history as a council arts centre and its later operation under a charitable trust.

• Cinema · 1975

  Cinema programme

  The theatre offers film screenings using 35mm and digital projection capabilities. Cinema forms one part of the venue's wider arts-centre offer, alongside theatre, music and dance.

• Conference and meeting facility

  Eric Morecambe Room

  Named in memory of comedian Eric Morecambe after his final performance at the theatre, the Eric Morecambe Room is used by local and national organisations for conferences and meetings.

• 1989Crossroads 25th-anniversary roadshow

  United Kingdom

  Roses Theatre was converted into the Crossroads Motel as part of a roadshow celebrating the television soap's 25th anniversary.

  Outcome. The venue served as a themed event location connected with the television programme.

  Source
• Replace a seat campaign

  United Kingdom

  The theatre launched an appeal to replace its ageing 375 auditorium seats. Charlton Heston helped launch the campaign after appearing at the venue for a question-and-answer event.

  Source

• 2015

  Front-of-house refurbishmentOther

  Background

  The public areas required modernisation, and the auditorium had not been renovated since the early 1990s.

  Action taken

  The theatre remodelled front-of-house spaces, introduced a coffee shop, installed a lift to the first-floor bar and redecorated the auditorium.

  Aftermath

  The venue gained updated public facilities and improved access between the ground floor and first-floor bar.

  Source

• 1996

  Reopening under charitable-trust operationStrategy

  Background

  The previous operator's liquidation left the theatre closed, prompting local business owners to seek a sustainable full-time operating model.

  Action taken

  The Roses Theatre Trust reopened the theatre as a registered charitable organisation.

  Aftermath

  The venue resumed operation and continued as a charitable arts centre.

  Source

• 1993

  Appointing a new operating companyStrategy

  Background

  The operating lease held through Tewkesbury Borough Council was due for renewal.

  Action taken

  The Crummles Theatre Company was selected to operate the venue, replacing The Stennett Company.

  Aftermath

  The theatre closed for maintenance and refurbishment and reopened under the new operator in November 1994. The company later entered liquidation, contributing to the theatre's closure in May 1995.

  Source

1. 1Roses Theatreen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Roses Theatre official websiterosestheatre.org