Burnham-On-Sea’s Princess Theatre has this month completed the first phase of a programme of refurbishments.
Throughout the building, new LED lighting has been unveiled with the aim of greatly reducing the theatre’s running costs and cutting its carbon footprint.
Theatre Manager Sam Nicol told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “New lighting has been introduced across the building to reduce costs, make the theatre more environmentally-friendly, and safer too.”
“We have installed bulk head lighting each side of the stage which makes working behind the curtain so much safer and easier.”
“New lighting in the Arts Lounge and the Pizey Room has also been introduced that enhances the gallery spaces. The individual lights are movable to really highlight the art work on display to best effect.”
“And, as part of our ongoing refurbishment, the Pizey Room will be decorated so as to make it a top quality training room and meeting space, as well as a gallery able to be used for special exhibitions and installations.”
“Throughout The Princess, the new lights are so much brighter and much more flexible for use in the various spaces used by our hirers and the general public.”
“It’s brighter for craft work, meetings, training, testing and make-up in the dressing rooms, and it is able to be reduced for a party or other event both in the Arts Lounge and Pizey Room.”
“The new ambient lighting in the main hall is now also much better for show nights and much more flexible for events throughout the year.”
She added: “The works were completed after a feasibility and costing survey. It demonstrated that due to reduced power usage, the new lighting will prove cost neutral to the building after a maximum of five years. After that we will be making long-term savings on our electricity bills.”
Last month, we reported here that the Town Council’s £350,000 application to the Hinkley Point C Community Impact Mitigation Fund had been successful to allow a full programme of improvements to proceed across the building — along with separate upgrades along the seafront and the town centre.
Unfortunately, a further grant application to the government’s Coastal Revival Fund for £50,000 match funding towards replacing the theatre’s seating was unsuccessful.
However, the total funds available for the theatre’s refurbishment are £163,000 plus £7,000 from the Friends of the Princess Theatre.
