New Floral Pavilion theatre leading the way in New Brighton’s regeneration

Jul 22 2009 by Liam Murphy, Wallasey News

New Floral Pavilion theatre leading the way in New Brighton’s regeneration

SIX months on, New Brighton’s revamped Floral Pavilion Theatre is being seen as the benchmark for the rest of the development for the seaside resort.

Neptune Developments’ plans for the £60m regeneration of the Wirral town are expected to enter their second phase in September.

The scheme has been redesigned several times, and despite being mired in controversy for several years, the revamped theatre has been the one thing almost everyone agreed was needed.

Now, after being up and running for just over six months, Floral Pavilion theatre manager Paul Holliday believes it is providing a much-needed boost to the resort’s other businesses and a catalyst for change, almost trebling the venue’s core audience from around 6,000 – and bringing more than 17,395 patrons to the area.

Mr Holliday said: “It’s been fantastic. In the old theatre I wouldn’t know if I would be faced with a flood, power cut or some other disaster. Literally every day, I would find myself with one of the cleaners pointing to another bit of plaster falling off.

“Ken Dodd used to joke that it was the only theatre where he could be on stage and have a shower at the same time – and it wasn’t far off reality.”

Now the drama is saved for the stage, and the Christmas pantomime saw the Floral’s highest occupancy rate for a decade, with the 814-seat auditorium 90% full. But the theatre has also extended its repertoire, hosting 304 events since it re-opened, compared to around 200 per annum for the old theatre.

Although old favourites still appear there regularly, it also sees more drama and other major productions, with

Hamlet expected to be performed there next year.

Wirral Council’s Rob Smith, who oversaw the Floral Pavilion revamp, also believes it is playing a key part in regenerating New Brighton, leading the way ahead of the rest of the Neptune scheme.

He said: “We believed it was always going to work but it’s exceeded even our expectations.

“We have animated this end of New Brighton, with people just coming during the day for a coffee or lunch – and although people may initially visit it because of the novelty, when they see it they’re impressed and come back.”

The second phase of the development will also include a new Lido and gym, bars, restaurants, a cinema and a Morrisons supermarket.