Grade II-listed Isle of Wight theatre set to be resurrected

A local council is striving to bring a grade II-listed theatre on the Isle of Wight back into use after nine years.

Ryde Town Council has submitted an expression of interest for £6 million funding to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the renovation of the 500-capacity Ryde Theatre.

After being originally constructed as a town hall in 1830, the building was converted for theatre use in 1934. It has been dark since 2010.

The funding would cover most of the estimated £7.3 million cost of purchasing the theatre from a current private owner and renovating it. The town council would need to provide the rest of the funding.

The expression of interest outlines plans to turn the building into four areas, including a market area, the town council chambers, an arts section and the theatre.

Planning clerk at Ryde Town Council Chris Turvey said: “I think it would be an enormous benefit to the whole community to bring the theatre back into use. It used to host music concerts, festivals, live bands and all sorts of things.

“The possibility is that Ryde Town Council would move back into the original council chambers as well.”