Glusburn Institute - Best Seats in the House

Aim: The balcony seating in the theatre at Glusburn Community & Arts Centre is in a very poor state of repair and in dire need of replacement.

The balcony seating in our theatre space is in a very poor state of repair and is in dire need of replacement. Originally installed in the ABC Cinema, Dewsbury, our existing seats were bought and transferred to Glusburn Institute in 1969 where they have been ever since. They've certainly seen some use over the years!

We sought quotes for refurbishing the seats, to retain the nostalgic feel, but it really wasn't a viable solution and would actually have cost more than replacements.

The original Victorian balcony structure is sound, but the subfloor is damaged and quite bouncy in places, so we also need to replace this and lay new carpet.

We successfully applied for £20,000 funding through North Yorkshire Council under the Shared Prosperity Fund, and Glusburn and Cross Hills Parish Council have given £8,000 towards the project. Having secured these funds, we gave the go ahead on the project - work will take place during Summer 2024.

However, since putting in those applications, and despite building in some contingency, costs of everything have skyrocketed and we are looking at a shortfall of around £2,500 to recover all the costs.

Can you help the 'best seats in the house' live up to their name, and give our customers a smart new seat to enjoy shows for many years to come. Please support Glusburn Community and Arts Centre to be fit for the future. 

Plan for the new seating, with a two-tone colour scheme to match the décor in the Auditorium.

View of the stage from the balcony

This project successfully funded on 12th August 2024