Stunning designs reveal how Cliffs Pavilion will look after a major £8million refurbishment next year as Southend councillors have approved the plans this week.

The rejuvenation plans are set to begin at the Westcliff theatre next year, including an expansion of the current restaurant, catering for 158 guests compared to a previous 100.

Echo: How it is set to look at nightHow it is set to look at night (Image: Trafalgar Theatres)

A modern, brighter, more welcoming entrance and lobby as well as a stunning new outdoor plaza will be added alongside improvement work to the bar, toilets, and lifts.

There are no plans to change the auditorium or back of house, allowing the theatre to remain open during the work. Southend Council signed a deal with Willmott Dixon as the construction partner, paving the way for work to begin in 2024.

Echo: How it will look during the dayHow it will look during the day (Image: Trafalgar Theatres)

Roughly £5.5 million of the project is being funded through round one of the Levelling Up Fund announced by Government in October 2021, with additional investment from the council and operator Trafalgar Entertainment.

Echo:

It is hoped that the work will secure the theatre’s future as one of the premium theatres in the east.

The Cliffs Pavilion is the largest purpose-built performing arts venue in Essex, dating back to the 1960s before it was extended in the late 1990s.