Blackpool Grand shines bright once again thanks to Arts Council funding.
The Grand Theatre is thrilled to announce the completion of an almost year-long restoration and repair project for the much-loved Blackpool building thanks to a share of £24.2 million through Arts Council England’s Capital Investment Programme.
The Grand was awarded £450,000 from the Arts Council to repair the Grade II* listed building’s stonework, replace and repoint damaged brickwork, restore the Victorian iron rainwater goods, and replace large areas of slate and lead on the two acres of roof. This now ensures the safety of the building and allows audiences and visitors to access parts of the theatre which have previously been inaccessible for some years.
The legendary illuminated GRAND sign has not been seen twinkling below the famous verdigris copper dome since the 1970s and is now fully restored and shining like a cultural beacon, as is the theatre’s ‘pineapple’ finial that had sadly been destroyed during the storms of 2018.
Work commenced on The Grand in July 2024, with the building being swathed in scaffolding until February of this year to allow the conservation team access to complete the renovations and install new window frames at the rear of the Gallery, clean the stonework and gild the carved stone Grand Theatre letters above the theatre’s entrance canopy.
The Arts Council award marks the first phase of funding towards a £15 million Capital Development Plan that will futureproof the theatre, enrich Church Street and improve the experience of customers and visiting companies alike.
Blackpool Grand Theatre Chief Executive, Adam Knight, said: “We are hugely grateful to Arts Council England for this significant and very timely investment in our heritage building, which has been struggling to cope with the impact of climate change and recent Irish Sea storms. The results of these specialist restoration works are terrific and make a demonstrable positive contribution to the revitalisation of the town centre. The capital investment has also realised a long-term ambition to recreate the much missed illuminated “GRAND” sign and return the theatre’s famous dome and iconic pineapple finial to their former glory. The Arts Council’s £450k support has also enabled us to use as match funds the generous donations given by the community and marks the beginning of the journey to fully restore Frank Matcham’s masterpiece!”
The Capital Investment Programme supports the Arts Council’s mission to ensure communities across the country have an infrastructure where creativity for everyone can thrive.
For further information on Blackpool Grand Theatre, please visit www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk