Since 1961, the Criterion Theatre has entertained audiences from its home on Berkeley Road South, Earlsdon. For many years it has been recognised that our wonderful building needs modernising to take it into the future and to support all our users and visitors.

Thanks to an incredible gift left by Chris Murly (one of our founding members) and generous donations over many years we have been able to embark on these improvements and The Big Build started in May.

We’re now 11 weeks into a 23 week plan and the transformation can already be seen. Yet, as with any historic building, unforeseen challenges have emerged - and there will no doubt be more.

As the layers of the original conversion have been peeled away we have had to address:

• Rebuilding weak mullions to the upper windows to support replacement windows - £1,000

• Boarding of pre-existing windows which were revealed after the removal of the old cladding - £750

• Addressing the insufficient support to the upper floor above the bar area. The beam is badly sagging and does not meet with current requirements - £2,000

• Re-enforcing the wardrobe floor to allow the space to be used safely. This has been an issue for years but only became visible with the removal of the ceiling - £3,300

• Widening the entrance to the toilets - £1,000

• Replacement of window in toilet -£630

• Work to ceilings & floors to integrate the multiple extensions and levels £10,000

These “surprises” add both cost and time into the work schedule but are things we need to do to secure the integrity of the building, the safety of our visitors and volunteers and protect the theatre into the future.

Due to these delays and extra works we have had to make the very difficult decision to delay the re-opening of the theatre to later in 2025 and move our production of The Who’s Tommy to 2026.

This is a “double whammy” for the theatre with increased costs to complete the project and the loss of what would have been an amazing opening production bringing in some much needed revenue after a 6 month closure.

We are still confident that we will be able to reopen in time for Christmas celebrations and are actively managing the finances to ensure we can complete the Big Build but as you can see the additional work has added around £20,000 to the build costs consuming our contingency and starting to eat into money set aside for the follow-on projects:

• Air conditioning in the auditorium and dressing rooms to remove the reliance on the Victorian heating system - £3,500 per unit

• Replacing the Tungsten lights with more efficient LED lamps - £1,500 each lamp

• Repainting the auditorium £2,000

• Insulating the auditorium roof - £4,000

• New carpets and decoration of the dressing rooms - £1,500

As a volunteer lead, charitable theatre company we rely on the generosity of our volunteers, audience members and donors to continue a tradition that stretches back 70 years.

If you feel you can help via a one off donation, a regular contribution, playing the Criterion Lottery or alternatively supporting through volunteering or providing specific skills please contact fundraising@criteriontheatre.co.uk to discuss how you can help or alternatively Donate Now via the Just Giving Site