THERE have been delays to an £800,000 scheme involving refurbishment work at a Romsey theatre.

The Plaza Theatre’s main stage closed in May with the work initially expected to be finished by September, allowing the main stage to be reopened in early October.

The work now looks likely to be finished by mid-November. 

Most of the work being completed involves upgrades to the electrics throughout the main auditorium as they are around 40 years old. It will enable performances in the future to have improved lighting and effects.

The roof height will also be increased to match the rest of the building and the stage wings will be extended. The refurbishments will allow for bars to be installed on the ceiling making it easier to install lighting.

Neil Gwynne, chairman of Romsey Amateur and Dramatic Society (RAODS), told the Romsey Advertiser that there have been delays in the delivery of steel sections to which the new roof and wall panels will be attached.

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Mr Gwynne, who has been RAODS chairman for 11 years, said the delays have led to postponements of shows which were due to be held at the theatre.

The Plaza Theatre (Image: Newsquest)

He said: “This has meant we have had to postpone one RAODS show and a couple of one-night non-RAODS shows (one tribute band and one comedy night).”

Mr Gwynne added that the first show on the main stage will be The Pirates of Penzance which was the second show RAODS ever did in 1936 when it was presented on the gala opening night of the Crosfield Hall which is where the theatre was previously based until the move to The Plaza.

The Plaza opened in 1931 as Romsey’s only purpose-built cinema. It later became a bingo hall in the 1970s, before eventually becoming a theatre, under the operation of RAODS, in 1982-83.