Theatre on schedule for re-opening (From This Is Wiltshire)

Theatre on schedule for re-opening

9:12am Saturday 3rd March 2007 in

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Wiltshire's biggest theatre will provide its audience with the comfiest of seats when it re-opens.

Six months after the discovery of asbestos in the ceiling of the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon work is target to get the doors again by the summer.

Council officials, including chief executive Gavin Jones, tested seats before coming to a decision on the right design.

The design chosen was the original seating the council first looked at.

Now, it has placed an order for 600 seats that will be ready for delivery in ten weeks' time.

They will be upholstered in a colour called Peony, a light pink colour named after a flowering plant.

A new air cooling system will mean audiences will be able to enjoy their productions in comfort.

Andy Hill, theatre director, said he was delighted things were moving forward.

He said: "Things are looking up. The asbestos has been cleared and work to refurbish the theatre is really getting underway, although there has been work going on for weeks, it can really move forward now.

"There won't be too many changes, this is a like for like refurbishment. There are still a number of things to be tendered and contractors to sort out so we don't have an opening date just yet, but I hope we can have one sooner rather than later."

Work is also being carried out in the theatre's foyer to ensure it meets the rules of the Disability Discrimination Act.

The Wyvern has been closed for shows since asbestos was discovered in the auditorium roof on September 2 last year, Theatregoers were told the initial checks would take three weeks, but on September 12, the Wyvern was closed until further notice.

At the end of September, work began to remove the hazardous material from the 600-seat theatre, and it was quickly established that the theatre would be closed for eight months.

It is hoped the theatre will reopen in the summer.