New lift will make Middlemarch theatre accessible

A new lift will be installed at a Grade II-listed theatre to make the building more accessible.

The current elevator at Stamford Arts Centre has been out of service and owners South Kesteven Council have ruled out repairs for safety reasons.

When the new lift opens, visitors will be able to use the mechanism themselves rather than it being operated by staff.

Councillor Paul Stokes said the council were "deeply sorry for the length of time it is taking to open up access to the theatre".

Permission has been granted to fit the "bespoke" machinery inside the Georgian building and work will begin on 16 September.

As part of the project, asbestos will be removed from the ceiling to provide room for new hydraulics.

Patrons will be required to use the stairs to access live events and cinema screenings while the lift is closed, and the theatre's box office warned people not to book tickets until it was open again if they had mobility issues.

The new lift is expected to be operational by early October.

Mr Stokes added: “Stamford Arts Centre is an important hub for all those who love theatre, music, poetry and movies.

“We fully understand the importance of the lift to customers and we are pleased that those with access requirements will soon be able to use it again."

The council-managed venue combines the Stamford Assembly Rooms, which were built in 1727, and the original town theatre, which dates from 1766. The Georgian ballroom has survived.

The theatre became a billiards club in the 1870s, but by the 1950s the buildings were in a poor condition until they were restored as an arts centre in 1972. The council took over its running in 1990.

The site was used as a filming location for a BBC production of Middlemarch in 1993 and for a Hollywood adaptation of Pride and Prejudice in 2004.

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