Reopening Octagon Theatre could cost up to £200,000 if plans for £15m regeneration fall through

Reopening the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil in its original form could cost up to £200,000 if a multi-million-pound regeneration plan falls through. Somerset Council announced in October 2023 that it would be putting its £30m revamp of the Octagon Theatre on hold to reassess the business case in light of high inflation and interest rates.

The theatre has been closed since April 2023, with the council voting as part of its annual budget to keep the building shut until a new business case could be agreed. The council is now pursuing a scaled-down redevelopment costing £15m - with the running of the building passing to Yeovil Town Council once it reopens in time for the 2026 pantomime season.

But if this ends up being abandoned, it will still cost a hefty six-figure sum to restore the venue to its original condition, following numerous structural surveys which were carried out following its closure. The council's executive committee met in Taunton on Wednesday morning (May 8) to formally add the £15m regeneration plans into its capital programme for the next three years.

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Under the new plans, the theatre will be refurbished at a cost of £15m - of which £10m will come from a ring-fenced grant provided by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). A further £3.75m will be provided by Yeovil Town Council, which agreed in principle to take over the running of the theatre as part of its annual budget setting (which also saw it take the reins at the Yeovil Country Park and the Yeovil Recreation Ground, known locally as Mudford Rec).

The remaining £1.25m will be sourced from external grants, contributions from housing developments and local fundraising. The scaled-down project will still see a fly tower delivered, expanding the range of productions which could be staged at the venue, along with improvements to the auditorium, increased accessibility, a revamped front-of-house and catering facilities, better dressing rooms and some external landscaping.

The planned increase in capacity from 622 to 900 will not be incorporated - though a "modest" increase in capacity within the existing footprint could be achieved. Councillor Adam Dance, portfolio holder for public health, equalities and diversity, asked what the council planned to do with the venue if the DCMS grant was withdrawn.

Mr Dance - who will be aiming to become Yeovil's MP at the next general election - said: "If we don't get the grant from government, I was of the understanding that we would look to put the theatre back together before we want it over to Yeovil Town Council." Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts, portfolio holder for communities, housing and culture, replied: "If it wasn't successful, we would need to bring a separate business case through the democratic process."

Steve Hughes, the council's leisure programme manager, provided the cost of restoring the building to its original state - stressing that this would not be a viable option regarding its long-term financial position. He said in his written report: "Reopening the theatre with no improvements would cost between £100,000 and £200,000, and would not solve any of the issues that triggered the original scheme to be considered. In this scenario, the theatre's annual subsidy would continue to be met by Somerset Council."

Mr Hughes previously revealed in April that it costs the council around £140,000 a year to keep the building closed - compared to the £267,000 in annual subsidy it provided when the theatre was open.

A freedom of information request revealed that £1.7m has already been spent by the council on "pre-construction costs" surrounding the theatre. This includes nearly £789,000 for detailed design work, more than £20,000 for surveys of the building (e.g. to locate any asbestos or defective concrete), more than £600,000 in "general costs" to South Somerset District Council (where the project originated) and nearly £281,000 in fees.

Councillor Val Keitch, assistant portfolio holder for localities and public health, attended the meeting virtually and spoke in favour of the proposals. Ms Keitch - who is currently on a leave of absence from physical presence at meetings due to ill health - said: "I'm delighted to see this coming back into the capital programme.

"I think this will be good for the whole county as well as the people of Yeovil." The council will submit the revised outline business case to DCMS later in the autumn, with the final business case following by March 2025.

Construction work is expected to begin by mid-2025, with a view to the theatre reopening in the autumn of 2026, in time to host the annual Christmas pantomime. Once the theatre has reopened, it will be managed by Yeovil Town Council - meaning any running costs after the rebuilding will come out of its share of the council tax precept.

The executive committee's decision comes after a joint bid from Somerset Council and Dorset Council to designate the theatre as a musical lead hub organisation from September 2024. The decision by Arts Council England means the venue will receive around £1.46m from the Department for Education (DfE) for musical education, of which just under £1.1m can be spent on funding musical education across the two counties and around £360,000 can be spent on new musical instruments, equipment and technology.

Speaking on Tuesday (May 7), Councillor Heather Shearer, portfolio holder for children and families, said: "This is a tremendous opportunity for children and young people across our two county areas. To see this investment that will secure excellent music provision is a joy.

"It is also a testament to the officers who have worked so hard to build a strong partnership that will deliver first rate music education for our children." Adam Burgan the council's arts and entertainment venues manager, added: "Live music brings our venues and services to life everyday, so we are excited and delighted to lead this collaborative bid, and this announcement is fantastic news that builds on our passion for music and the creative arts to inspire, educate and transform people’s lives."

The council has confirmed this funding is separate to the earlier grant from DCMS and that the musical hub funding cannot be put towards the upgrade of the Octagon Theatre.