£11k cash boost for Morecambe Winter Gardens will help ensure long-term future

The money will support creating an audience development strategy, helping the Winter Gardens Preservation Trust to understand the priorities of audiences, which will support future funding bids.

The announcement comes just weeks after the government awarded the theatre £2.7m towards its continuing restoration work.

The Theatres Trust announced its first round of grants to be awarded through the new Resilient Theatres: Resilient Communities programme on Tuesday.

The scheme sees a share of £60,000 go to seven theatres across the UK, all of which are on the Theatres at Risk Register.

The Theatres at Risk Register 2023, published by Theatres Trust in February, highlights and supports theatres across the country that are at risk of closure or demolition, and which have architectural and community merit.

The grants programme aims to help progress the restoration, reopening or revitalising of these theatres by funding expert support.

"We are grateful for the continued support of the Theatres Trust in enabling the trust to make even more progress with the structure and support required for the theatre," said Prof Vanessa Toulmin, chair of the Winter Gardens Preservation Trust.

"Sustaining the resilience of the organisation to ensure the long-term future of the theatre is a priority that we are delighted to see supported.

"The funding will enable us to obtain specialist support for future audience development work as the Winter Gardens increases in capacity and range, and help us scope future funding bids to secure the funding required to finally open up the Gods."

Theatres Trust director Jon Morgan said: "We believe every theatre on our Theatres at Risk list has the potential to be returned for use by their communities, providing performance venues of types currently lacking in their local areas and bringing much needed footfall to town centres.

"We are pleased to support these theatres with projects that will help each theatre move a step closer to their ultimate goal."

Eilish McGuinness, chief executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: "We welcome the great news that seven resilience grants have been allocated by the Theatres Trust to special but at risk theatres across the UK."