Search Begins for New Operator of The Electric Theatre

Published on: 26 Sep, 2026
Updated on: 26 Sep, 2026

Guildford Borough Council is launching a market engagement exercise with independent specialists Blue Horizon Ventures to try and secure the future of The Electric Theatre.

The council is inviting organisations to express an interest in operating the much-loved community arts venue and it says to help “it thrive for years to come”.

The Electric Theatre

The engagement exercise will help the GBC better understand the level of interest from potential operators and identify future management options ahead of any formal procurement process.

In a press release the council says market interest across two operating approaches will be considered:

a cultural or hybrid (mix of cultural, community use and commercial activity) operating model
a commercial or alternative-use model

Cllr Julia McShane

Council leader Julia McShane (Lib Dem, Westborough) said: “We want to thank everyone who has taken the time to share their views with us throughout this journey.

“Residents, community groups and stakeholders have played a vital role in shaping our thinking about the future of the venue, and we have listened carefully to the feedback and ideas we’ve received.

“This has always been about working with our community to find the best way forward. The views shared have helped us reach this important stage and will continue to inform the decisions we make as we move ahead.”

Cllr Vanessa King

And deputy leader Vanessa King (Lib Dem, Stoke), the lead councillor for Economy and Place, added: “We now want to understand what options are available to support a sustainable future for the venue that also offers benefits for residents, local organisations and visitors.

“We’re keen to hear from the widest range of interested parties, from community-led and charitable organisations through to commercial and alternative-use operators.”

The Council is particularly seeking views on how operators could support:

local employment opportunities
affordable and accessible pricing, alongside maximising community access
high-quality cultural and commercial programming
a resilient business model capable of sustaining the venue over the full contract term.

The market engagement exercise aims to:

understand current market capacity and enthusiasm among cultural, community and commercial operators
test potential contract arrangements against real operator experience, including views on whether grant funding may be needed
inform the proposed procurement process, contract structure and service specification.

An “Operator Market Day” will be held online on Wednesday, October 14 at 3.30pm. Hosted by Blue Horizon Ventures, the session will provide prospective operators with more information about the opportunity.

Written expressions of interest and completed Operator Response Forms must be submitted by midday on Friday 30 October 2026.