The Blakehay Theatre, Weston-super-Mare

The Blakehay Theatre

The Blakehay Theatre which was previously the Wadham Street Baptist Church
Address	Wadham Street Weston-super-Mare England
Coordinates	51.351197°N 2.980339°W / 51.351197; -2.980339
Owner	Weston-super-Mare Town Council
Capacity	207 seat
Current use	Community Theatre
Construction
Years active	10
Architect	Hans Price
Website
[1]

The Blakehay Theatre is a 207-seat theatre in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, England. Its building was originally a 19th-century Baptist church.

History

The theatre building was Weston-super-Mare's first Baptist church, built in 1850 as Wadham Street Baptist Church, and was also the town's first public building.^[1][2] In 1862 Hans Price, who became the town's leading architect, was commissioned to adapt and enlarge the building.^[3] The name comes from "Black Hay", a field that originally lay between the High Street and Wadham Street.^[3]

During World War II the theatre was hit by incendiary bombs. After the war it was rebuilt inside the original Victorian shell. In 1985 the building ceased to be a place of worship. In 1986 the Blakehay was saved from demolition and replacement with a block of flats by the actions of the Weston-super-Mare Building Trust and run by the Civic Society who converted into a venue for amateur and professional events and public meetings.

In September 2004 Weston Town Council purchased the theatre for £195,000.^[4]

• 1850 – The Blakehay is built as Wadham Street Baptist Church
• 1862 – The building is enlarged
• 1985 – The building closes as a place of worship
• 2004 – Weston-super-Mare Town Council purchases The Blakehay
• 2010 – Refurbishment begins- Work starts on refurbishing parts of the building including new toilets and bar area
• 2011 – present – The Blakehay Theatre is a community theatre for the residents and visitors of Weston-super-Mare

Current use

The Blakehay Theatre operates as live events venue, programming local and regional theatre, music and dance.^[5] Facilities in the building include the main Auditorium, Upper Studio, Theatre Bar, two dressing rooms and a box office.

References

1. "Our History". Clarence Park Baptist Church. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 4 July 2007.
2. "Blakehay Theatre". Whats On Weston-super-Mare. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
3. "About Us". Blakehay Theatre. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
4. "Blakehay keys handed over to town council". The Weston Mercury. 27 September 2004. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 4 July 2007.
5. "Whats On". Blakehay Theatre.