At a Cabinet meeting on 25 January, councillors at Horsham District Council will consider recommending plans to significantly refurbish The Capitol theatre in Horsham.
The Capitol theatre, which is almost 90 years old, was last refurbished some 21 years ago in 2003. Consequently, many aspects of its infrastructure, design and layout need to be updated to align with current day audience and environmental needs. This will help ensure that a thriving, affordable cultural offer remains at the heart of the services provided by the Council.
The proposed refurbishments will provide increased seating capacity to attract different performances and shows, substantial improvements to the building’s infrastructure to help achieve the Council’s net zero targets, and improvements to the overall internal layout of the building to improve customer experience.
If recommended by Cabinet, the proposals will be presented at a meeting of full Council on 21 February. If approved, the refurbishment schedule will see work start in April 2025 and finish in November 2026.
Commenting on the proposals, Horsham District Council Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Green Spaces Cllr Jon Olson said:
“I am very excited by the proposals to improve the customer experience and environmental impacts at this much-loved venue.
These proposals will not only see The Capitol continue to be a thriving community hub for arts and culture, but will also deliver significant improvements for audiences, artists and staff, and will create a more climate-friendly facility for future generations.