Feature: Guildford’s Theatre Brought ‘Back to Its Former Life’ After Accessibility Renovations

Published on: 20 Dec, 2025
Updated on: 21 Jan, 2026

New signage at the refurbished Yvonne Arnaud Theatre

By Isabelle Trubshaw

Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre celebrated the end of an 18-month renovation in the autumn, marking a major step in the theatre’s accessibility and expanding its educational programmes.

The £6 million refurbishment, with almost £3 million contributed by Your Fund Surrey Large Community Project, focused on the theatre’s front of house and public areas, including new bathrooms, a central heating system, a lift accessing all floors, 50 flat access seats in the theatre, and the introduction of a fully accessible toilet.

Actor Matthew Kelly opens the refurbished gents’ toilet.

The renovation also included the construction of a “River Room” for educational outreach activities, where new programmes such as “Little Notes”, “Pop-up-play” and “Young Company” will launch in the upcoming months.

“This project was about opening up the building to the public” explained Joanna Read, the Director of Yvonne Arnaud Theatre. “We had all these spaces that we felt weren’t being used effectively by people that we really wanted to get day-time use for.”

The refurbishment allows more flexible use of space.

“It is critical that the arts are accessible for everyone. Arts are like health or education – it should be an essential part of your life. We have a responsibility to the future make sure that this building flourishes, and that we are here for the long-term meeting everybody’s needs.”

Read described the renovation as an effort to put the building “as the jewel of the crown of Surrey, back to its former life.”

So far the renovations have been met warmly, with visitors praising the 1960’s style of the building, which it had back when it was built.

The first floor bar area. ”Everything looks so fresh and new.”

A visitor said: “It’s amazing – so fresh, clean, and everything looks lovely and new. I can also see that it is much more user-friendly.”

The re-design was also recognised with a Guildford Design award in October in the Regeneration Project category.

See: Good Design Rewarded – Co-Living Development Scoops Overall Winner Prize

Public involvement played a key role in the conception of the project, with audience feedback, post-show comments and questionnaires.

“We try and look at it as a 360 conversation with our audience and potential audience,” Read explained. “The matrix of having good quality culture that reaches everybody in a region, means an investment from the arts council, from your local authorities and a philanthropic investment as well, from the people that you are working with.”

Despite on-site construction, the theatre remained open to the public during the renovation period – a financial necessity that posed problems in retaining audiences. Yet, Guildford residents, who feel great ownership over the grade two listed heritage building, remained loyal to the theatre.

Now the theatre expects growth in audience engagement and community outreach over the next 1-2 years.

Keeping the theatre open during the refurbishment was a challenge.

Further improvements to backstage and dressing-room facilities are planned for the future, although details remain unconfirmed.

The Yvonne Arnaud, established in 1965, hosted a celebratory concert in September, marking its 60th anniversary and the completion of the refurbishment — attended by national figures including Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh.

See: The Duke of Edinburgh Helps Celebrate 60 Years of the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre