Trafalgar Entertainment to run new Hampshire theatre Fareham Live.
Trafalgar Entertainment has added another venue to its growing portfolio of theatres. The global entertainment company has been awarded the contract to operate Fareham Live theatre and entertainment space – Fareham Live – by Fareham Borough Council in Hampshire.
Trafalgar Entertainment, run by former Ambassador Theatre Group Co-CEO’s Dame Rosemary Squire and Sir Howard Panter, now operate 18 venues including the Traflagar Theatre in London’s West End.
Fareham Live is currently under construction on the site of Ferneham Hall and will launch as an all-new facility in 2024 as part of the council’s multi-million-pound plans to redevelop the civic quarter and regenerate the Town Centre.
The new venue will feature a larger main auditorium with comfortable seating for around 800 people and a full-height fly tower to support high quality performances. A secondary performance space, new bar and cafe area, and studio space supporting community groups and organisations will also form part of the new building.
Removable seating will increase capacity in the main hall to around 1,000 allowing for a wide range of performances, functions and live-events to be programmed.
Fareham Live will become part of Trafalgar Entertainment’s growing Trafalgar Theatres division and will sit alongside other prestigious venues within the portfolio including Trafalgar Theatre in London’s West End, the Theatre Royal Sydney in Australia and 13 UK regional theatres including Southend Cliffs Pavilion, the New Theatre, Cardiff, G Live, Wycombe Swan, and the recently acquired Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow. Trafalgar Entertainment will also open the ground-breaking Olympia Theatre, the biggest new permanent theatre to open in London since the 1970s.
Dame Rosemary Squire, Joint Co-Founder and CEO of Trafalgar Entertainment, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that Fareham Borough Council has awarded Trafalgar Entertainment the contract to operate Fareham Live in this beautiful part of the country. We admire the council’s ambitions for the town and look forward to working in partnership with the Leisure and Community team on the future development of Fareham Live.”
Helen Enright, CEO of Trafalgar Theatres, said: “It’s going to be an exciting time for the residents of Fareham with a brand-new state-of-the-art venue, enriched arts and culture offering and all the additional benefits that will bring to the local economy. We have a unique approach to venue management which ensures that Fareham Live will benefit from industry-leading thinking, while retaining its local identity and expertise. We’re committed to making Fareham Live the go to destination and look forward to welcoming audiences through the doors in 2024!”
Cllr Sue Walker, Executive member for Leisure and Community at Fareham Borough Council, said: “I am very pleased that Trafalgar Theatres has been selected as the new operator at Fareham Live. They bring with them a wealth of experience and they pride themselves in gathering an in-depth understanding of the locations in which they operate, respecting local priorities while delivering innovation and adding value. We are really looking forward to working together.”
