The SHOW will go on at The Phoenix Theatre & Arts Centre after East Hampshire District Council agreed to give £200,000 for refurbishments and explore locations for a new future venue in the town centre.

Bordon’s much-loved theatre on Station Road is in need of some modernisation.

To keep the facility centre-stage in the town, £200,000 of Whitehill & Bordon developers’ contributions will be used to give the building a makeover and provide facilities that could be transferred to a new purpose-built centre.

Over the next few years, as the town centre develops, the council will work with the town centre developers to explore the possibility of a new Phoenix Theatre & Arts Centre elsewhere in the town.

Rob Allerston, director of The Phoenix, said: “This is fantastic news and potentially very exciting.

“The Phoenix Theatre & Arts Centre still has a huge role to play in the town but is now in need of some work to ensure the building can cater for our expanding range of activities.

“We are delighted to hear £200,000 will be allocated to us by EHDC to give the building the attention it needs and help us produce our thrilling and varied arts programme. But the prospect of a new building to move into in the future, one that can become a cultural hub for the growing town, is tremendously exciting and would help make the town a destination for visitors.

“There’s a lot of work to do before then, but in the meantime we can use the developers’ contributions to get the centre almost as good as new!”

A project board was formed earlier this year with Mr Allerston also acting as its chair. He told the Herald the board will be “convening in early January” to make decisions and work with architects.

He said they “must improve customer experience when they come into the theatre”, adding they will “sit down with the architect to improve front of house”.

They also want to work with volunteer groups to improve the “nuts and bolts” of the building with refurbished seats, upgraded technical facilities and a new dance floor on the wishlist.

Mr Allerston added they need to “improve the bricks and mortar of the building” while the aim is to “update and enhance the theatre, without losing its character”.

“There is a long list of things we want to do, but want the money to go as far as possible. We want to make the theatre the best it can be,” Mr Allerston said.

They plan to start work in July next year and fully reopen in September – hopefully in time for the Beer Festival on the last weekend of the month.