Liverpool Playhouse is in the early stages of drawing up plans for a refurbishment which would safeguard the theatre for generations to come.
The 156 year old theatre is one of the oldest in the city and the last standing venue of its kind in Williamson Square - once home to a number of similar cultural venues. The Liverpool and Merseyside Theatres Trust (LMTT) is now looking to appoint a design practice to carry out a Capital Refurbishment Feasibility Study to help lead on the theatre's reimagining.
According to LMTT CEO Mark Da Vanzo, the “Playhouse is is now in need of a major refurbishment”, therefore the Trust, city council, Combined Authority and Business Improvement District (BID) have all been exploring the long-term future of the Playhouse.
READ MORE: Dried-up fountains and the ‘managed decline’ of Williamson Square
The parties are hoping to better understand the role it can and should play in the cultural sector both locally and nationally. Aspects of the plans could also have a big impact on Williamson Square while also enhancing links with other cultural institutions across the city.
In May, stall holders on Williamson Square noted how the area had been through an element of “ managed decline ” having once been one of the major commercial districts in the city. Other traders noted how they felt “second class” with footfall being directed to other parts of the city centre.
Many felt as though the Square was at a point where reinvention was required. This appeared to have been heightened when Marks & Spencer announced it too would be leaving the area next year.
The LMTT is now looking for a design practice that can propose draw up “radical and original solutions” for Liverpool Playhouse’s future and its place within Williamson Square. Bids are being accepted until 3rd October.
Mark Da Vanzo, CEO of the LMTT Trust which runs the Playhouse and the Everyman theatres said: “The Liverpool Playhouse is a cultural gem of both local and national significance. Entertaining audiences since 1866, the theatre has played a vital role in the cultural lives of our communities for over 150 years. Our beloved Playhouse is now in need of a major refurbishment, to both ensure it survives for another century and is as environmentally sustainable as it can be.
“We hope that the refurbishment of the Playhouse will be an exemplar for similar age theatres across the world, demonstrating that you can improve the environmental credentials of a listed building while also acting as a catalyst for a cultural regeneration of its surrounding area. We are excited to be writing this next chapter in the proud history of the Liverpool Playhouse”.
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