Cost of theatre revamp has risen by £8m – but will be ‘a real asset’

The revamp of St George’s Guildhall in Lynn is facing spiralling costs – adding millions of pounds to the bill.When the project first began in 2022, it was estimated that it would cost £12million to restore the oldest working theatre in the country.However, there have been many twists and turns along the way.

Archaeological investigations revealed medieval floorboards which were likely trodden on by William Shakespeare, who is believed to have performed at the theatre in 1593.A doorway that would have once led to a dressing room likely used by the Bard was also been found.Since then costs have risen by 66%, and the restoration project is now predicted to require at least £20million to complete.

Further exploratory work identified the arch as the door to what is believed to be the Guild Robing Room. While £9million has been secured for the project through the Town Deal Fund, a £25million pot of money to revitalise the historic port town, it means West Norfolk Council faces an £11million gap in funding for the scheme.This follows the authority missing out on a further £3.4million of the cost from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF), due to it being “high risk, particularly in terms of sustainability”. Despite the challenges, borough council leader Alistair Beales is confident the huge interest in Shakespeare and his link with the theatre will help find the cash needed.

He said: “It has risen a lot but the original budget was virtually a guess.“The 14th century building had never been architecturally assessed but now the true costs have been revealed.“Along the way, we have found vanishingly rare discoveries, which have shown its true historical value.

“The Shakespeare connection has got stronger and stronger. For about eight years of his life, we do not know where he was but we know about his connection to King’s Lynn. There is no doubt in my mind he was here for that time.” Cllr Beales says the National Trust, which owns the building, was initially “suspicious” of the council’s plans but is now partnering with the authority. He is hopeful it may offer further funding and support to the project.“They are now saying, ‘Wow, you have ambition,’” he added.

Council officers are also actively exploring the potential for funding from Shakespeare-loving organisations in the United States.Despite the rising costs, Cllr Beales is adamant there is huge value in bringing the project to completion.The plans also include creating a new cafe bar, workshop and exhibition space, as well as a major update for the currently closed riverside restaurant. He added: “This has got to be a real asset for our community, it already is.“Shakespeare may seem a bit dry and dusty but if you stand on the stage where he once stood, it is a different story.“I am questioned on occasion, ‘What are you doing spending all this money on a museum?’“Deprivation takes many forms and one part of that is cultural deprivation, which is absolutely a key factor in this scheme.” St George’s Guildhall was built in 1402, when it started out life as a religious guild meeting house.It went on to become a theatrical venue with its first recorded performance in 1445. It is the only working theatre in the world that can claim to have hosted a performance by Shakespeare himself.The Bard’s links with the space are well-documented, with accounts proving his acting company was paid by the theatre.There is also evidence of an incident at the Lynn theatre where an audience member watching a play about a murder was so consumed with guilt she confessed to killing her husband – a potential inspiration for a key plotline in Hamlet.