BORDON’S Phoenix Theatre and Arts Centre needs Bordon Herald readers’ help to refurbish its 111-year-old home.

Rob Allerston, Phoenix Theatre director, is asking local people to offer their support which will, in turn, open doors for funding opportunities.

The plan is to renovate Barbados House, the theatre’s base in Station Road, to bring it into the 21st century.

Described as an “important, historic local building”, staff are aware how crucial its heritage is to Bordon residents.

“It’s got a little crumbly around the edges and would really benefit from a concerted programme of improvements,” the Phoenix said in a statement.

“Many local people love the ex-Army school, along with those who work there, volunteer and visit - and for a variety of reasons.

“This amazing building is full of character and atmosphere, but to ensure that it remains at the forefront of the creative arts in East Hampshire now and for generations to come, hard work is needed now to make that vision a reality. Registering your support will play a key part in achieving success.”

Mr Allerston told the Bordon Herald that, at this stage, people can email him to voice their support for the project. It is not about pledging money yet, he added, however once “we start the work in earnest later in 2019 we might also ask the community to lend us their skills to make the funding go further”. “For example, a carpenter might upcycle some reclaimed wood to create a series of shelves in the bar,” he said.

Mr Allerston was at Whitehill and Bordon’s most recent community forum, at the Future Skills Centre, where he shared The Phoenix’s arts-for-all ethos and spoke about the wide range of work it does.

It is not just a stage for shows, but a base for an array of community clubs, activities and initiatives.

Described as “Hampshire’s friendliest little venue”, The Phoenix manages to provide a unusual mix of big and small attractions. On one hand it is a quaint, intimate 102-seat venue with all the eccentricities expected from a small, independent theatre. And on the other, it is a stopping point for some of the country’s biggest names.

Mr Allerston recalled Alan Carr’s gig, which illustrates The Phoenix’s unique position. The television presenter and stand-up comic’s show sold out in minutes and, upon his arrival, he asked if it was OK if his dogs, two big red setters, waited back stage.

Then, near the start of his performance, an audience member lifted his hand and said he had gifts for the comedian’s canine entourage.

So Mr Carr brought his dogs on stage before unwrapping the present - a pair of handmade bandanas which he tied around their necks. “Which is how things tend to happen at The Phoenix,” Mr Allerston added.

He said people are sometimes surprised at the big names who perform, such as Jack Dee, Jo Brand, Josh Widdicombe and others.

But, having secured itself on the map, The Phoenix is likely to continue welcoming top comedy acts and award-winning plays, not least because Mr Allerston heads to Edinburgh Festival every year to invite the very best back to Bordon.

Although there is not yet a figure for refurbishment costs, he shared items on the to-do list both for external and internal changes.

* Repair the pitched roof, its flashing and repaint its verges.

* Replace all roof guttering and downpipes.

* Replace the flat roof at the rear of the building.

* Repoint brickwork.

* Re-tarmac and line-mark part of the car park.

* Refurbish inside and outside the former carriage store to maximise its potential as an arts workshop.

* A complete rewiring of the building.

* Update the IT infrastructure of the building.

* Upgrade the fire and intruder alarm systems.

* Refurbish the interior of the building - all studios, rooms, foyers and corridors.

* Reconfigure and decorate all rooms downstairs, to include a larger office for staff, a cafe that doubles as an interval room and a more practical-sized meeting room for classes and fully assessable room hire.

* Refurbishment of bar.

* Refurbishment of all toilets, including the updating of the accessible toilet to include baby changing facilities.

* Full refurbishment of the 102-seat Phoenix Theatre, technically and from a customer’s point of view.

* Some form of air conditioning in The Phoenix Theatre.

* A lift to make the first floor, including the dance studio, fully accessible.

Support can be registered for the refurbishment by e-mailing [email protected], calling 01420 472664 or by popping into the theatre for a chat with Mr Allerston.