Frequently Asked Questions
1. How is the rejuvenation being funded and delivered?
In September 2022 Arun District Council voted to approve an additional budget of £3 million to add to the £12.19million of Levelling Up Funds allocated for the Alexandra Theatre’s rejuvenation, bringing the total budget to over £15million.
As part of the regeneration of the wider Regis Centre site and to deliver the improved theatre, the Council has also secured the early surrender of the long lease of the Regis Centre from Whitbread PLC, which includes the current Brewers Fayre restaurant / pub and Alexandra Theatre.
2. Is the theatre being knocked down and re-built?
Our proposals will rejuvenate and extend the existing theatre, without the need to fully demolish and rebuild the existing building, albeit the western section will be removed and rebuilt to house the new cafe and double height foyer space. The proposed addition to the theatre will extend outward to the west side of the theatre.
The new theatre will provide a total of 2,700sqm of arts/cultural floorspace, including 1,455sqm of new and reprovisioned floorspace.
3. Why are there only 386 seats in the new auditorium – this seems a small increase on the existing capacity?
Although the plans are still evolving the proposed size of and number of seats in the main auditorium is considered optimum to viably deliver the theatre rejuvenation plan, based on the business case submitted to secure the £12.19million of LUF funding.
In addition to the enhanced main auditorium, the new performance studios will be able to accommodate theatre seating and screening, alongside the potential for audio / visual connection to the main auditorium, allowing access for larger audiences in the centre to watch keynote theatre performances.
4. Are the plans for the theatre combined with the new Premier Inn proposals?
Whitbread PLC are bringing forward proposals for a new Premier Inn hotel on the former Fire Station site. This is an entirely separate project to the Theatre rejuvenation and will be subject to a separate planning application in due course.,
Whitbread PLC had a long term leasehold agreement on the Regis Centre. In order to progress the Theatre rejuvenation at the earliest opportunity, Whitbread agreed to surrender their long lease early to the Council.
5. What will happen to the existing Brewers Fayre restaurant and pub?
Arun District Council took back control of the former Brewers Fayre building at the Regis Centre from Whitbread on Monday 15th May. The Council are working on some creative plans to best make use of the space over the coming summer period.
We are working in collaboration with the Bognor Regis Business Improvement District (BR BID) to
create attractive window vinyls for the building. These are being designed in accordance with the BID’s ‘Welcoming Town’ initiative to create an attractive temporary façade facing The Esplanade and are expected to be installed this month.
The District Council and the BID are also confirming plans for the temporary reuse of the front of the site (facing The Esplanade) as a place to sit and enjoy the view over the summer season.
The District Council has also been working hard on the second stage of the long term regeneration plans for the Brewers Fayre building. We know how much interest there is in this site and we are considering a range of exciting options for its long term regeneration. We intend to update the community on these plans in the near future.
6. Will the rejuvenation result in more events being held at the theatre?
Yes, the enhanced theatre is projected to see an increase in audiences from an average of 47,000 to 55,000 per annum and there will be a broader range of events and exhibitions in the multifunctional gallery space and studios.
Investment in the new theatre will also provide the opportunity for it to be used as a conference and events facility to meet unmet local demand.
7. Will the cafeteria / bar and meeting rooms be open for members of the public to use?
Yes, similarly to the café which is on site at the moment, the theatre facilities will be available to the public. Meeting rooms will also be available to hire for use.
8. How tall will the redeveloped theatre be?
The new build elements of the west side of the theatre will be of similar height to the roof ridge of the existing main auditorium (11.7 metres).
9. How much additional space will be provided?
The rejuvenation project will provide 1,455 square metres of new and reprovisioned floor space. This will include the enlarged 386-seat main auditorium, five new studios and enlarged foyer with new café / bar.
| Proposed | ||||
| Existing | Demolished | Retained | New Build | |
| Level 00 | 1393 | 480 | 913 | 754 |
| Level 01 | 447 | 102 | 345 | 636 |
| Level 02 | 65 | |||
| Total | 1840 | 582 | 1258 | 1455 |
| Total Proposed GIA | 2713 | |||
| Over and above area (comparing total proposed to existing) | 873 | |||
10. How will the site be accessed and will there be increased parking?
The site vehicle access (entrance to the parking from Clarence Road) and existing car park will be unchanged. Similarly, existing pedestrian access points will also remain in place.
11. What employment opportunities will be made available?
A key vision for the theatre is to create new jobs and retain existing ones. New jobs include within the theatre itself, café and restaurant, as well as during the construction period on the building. The project will also secure the long term economic future for prime sea front jobs as more visitors are encouraged to the area.
12. Will the new theatre have accessibility measures and what will these be?
A range of measures are being introduced as part of the rejuvenation to ensure that the theatre is accessible to all. These include adding integrated wheelchair positions in the middle of the auditorium and throughout, providing a selection of positions to choose from, more legroom in the auditorium, a fully accessible foyer with exhibition space, connected by two passenger lifts, new ramped access within the sound lock lobby and more.
13. How will carbon emissions be reduced?
As part of our commitment to sustainability, we are committed to delivering carbon net zero in advance of the 2050 government guidelines. This includes using some low embodied carbon materials, reducing carbon emissions from the built environment and employing a fabric first approach to insulation.
14. Are solar panels part of the proposals?
We are pleased to be exploring the potential for solar (photovoltaic) panels to new roof areas. These details are still in the process of being confirmed as part of the sustainability strategy.
15. Will the theatre close during construction and how long will construction take?
It will be important to ensure that the rejuvenation works are undertaken safely for both the public and staff working at the centre. We will need to discuss the construction programme with a contractor, but it is likely that the theatre will need to close for the duration of the construction works.
We intend to keep any closure as short as possible, but the period could be for up to 24 months and we will need to discuss alternative arrangements with our partners once the construction programme is further evolved.
16. How will feedback be used to inform the future of the proposals?
We believe working with the local community and gathering your feedback is crucial to ensuring that we deliver a rejuvenated theatre that increases its use and best meets local community need.
All feedback received through our various events and mechanisms will be analysed as we progress our plans for the theatre, and a report on the key themes has been submitted alongside the planning application.
17. When can you expect an update on the proposals and what will the next steps be?
The council’s regeneration team and Neilcott are now working closely to finalise the detailed design plans. Further information on scheme construction, including final dates and other details, will be announced in due course, but the broad timelines are as follows:
- Summer/Autumn 2024: Finalise detailed design and internal theatre layout and set up construction compound.
- Autumn/Winter 2024: Construction work begins.
- Mid-2026: New theatre opens to audiences.