Monday, 28th September 2015
New seating has been installed at The Muni Theatre in Colne, thanks to a surprise grant in this year’s Budget.
Chancellor George Osborne gave the local Edwardian theatre a £56,000 grant for new seating after Pendle Leisure Trust’s bid for funding to refurbish the theatre was rejected by the Arts Council for the second time.
The Trust contacted Pendle MP, Andrew Stephenson, asking for his help and he arranged for Culture Secretary Sajid Javid to visit the Muni in March.
A cash contribution from Pendle Council made up the difference of the £75,000 refurbishment.
The old seating configuration meant that few touring shows visited the venue, due to the amount of staff time needed to move and adapt the seating for various shows. The new seating system will now enable the Trust to expand its programming at the Muni and increase participation in the arts.
Phil Storey, Chief Executive of Pendle Leisure Trust, which manages and operates the theatre, said: “The seating at the Muni theatre was in poor repair and needed replacing. We are extremely delighted that this refurbishment has taken place just in time for our busy Autumn/Winter season. I am sure our audiences will now continue to enjoy a wide variety of high-calibre shows in a more comfortable environment.”
MP Andrew Stephenson added: “I was delighted that the Government recognised the importance of the Muni and supported this much needed work. As someone who regularly attends performances at the Muni, I am looking forward to trying out the new seats in the coming months!”
Visit www.themuni.co.uk for a full line-up of the Autumn/Winter programme.
Photo: Theatre Manager, Tony Dodd and Technical Manager, Steve Dolman try the new seats for size.
