Neptune theatre renaissance gets underway

The £750,000 refurbishment of Liverpool's historic Neptune Theatre is finally underway, five years after it closed its doors to the public.

Merseyside-based Nobles Construction began on site today (7 October) to work to restore the Hanover Street venue after Liverpool City Council settled a leasing dispute with landlord, David Ramsey.

Work on the 97-year-old Grade II-listed site, which has lay derelict since 2005, will be completed in February next year, allowing the council to hand the theatre over to a full-time operator.

The restoration will see the 400-seat Edwardian venue fitted with new mahogany front doors, crystal chandeliers and modernisation features such as disabled toilets and wheelchair accessibility throughout the Theatre, while the ticket office and bar will be removed for a future operator to fit out.

Councillor Joe Anderson, Leader of Liverpool city council who made the re-opening of the theatre one of his priorities when he was elected in May, said: ''The closure of the Neptune has left a gaping hole on Liverpool's cultural scene and it is a moment to cheer from the rafters that the refurbishment is now underway.

''This venue is one of our cultural jewels and has provided a priceless platform for many great and many unsung performers to entertain this city down the ages. I look forward to the day it re-opens and a new chapter in its illustrious history begins.''

Peter Linford, director at Nobles Construction, said: "The Neptune Theatre is an iconic landmark on Liverpool's cultural landscape and we're thrilled to be playing a leading role in its restoration as it enters the next phase in its history.

"It's the people's theatre and we're looking forward to harnessing that reputation and delivering somewhere that the people of the city can be proud of for many years to come."