GATEHOUSE THEATRE CELEBRATES BUSIEST YEAR ON RECORD

Stafford’s Gatehouse Theatre is celebrating record revenue and visitor numbers – with more than 180,000 people passing through its doors in the space of 12 months.

The Eastgate Street venue, which also serves as the town’s Tourist Information Centre, saw an upturn in attendances across the board in the year ending on March 31.

The previous year saw 170,000 people visit the theatre, and the extra 10,000 people represents a six per cent increase overall.

In addition, the venue also took record revenue with its highest income since opening in 1982.

One of the biggest successes was the record-breaking Sleeping Beauty pantomime at Christmas, which attracted just under 19,500 people over the festive period. Ticket sales for this year’s Aladdin are already ahead of previous sales patterns and the theatre is hoping for yet another record turn-out this Christmas.

Other big shows included comedy greats Jason Manford, Milton Jones, Bobby Davro, Chris McCausland and Scott Bennett, West End icon Lee Mead and music stars including Showaddywaddy, Gareth Gates and Nik Kershaw.

Gatehouse Marketing Manager Keith Harrison said: ‘It’s been the busiest year in Gatehouse history, with more visitors, the most revenue and more shows being scheduled than ever before.

‘It’s great that audiences are loving a big night out at the theatre and also a sign that performers love coming to Stafford, as we have such a beautiful building and we get such good feedback.

‘We’ve enjoyed working with Channel 4 on a major production and hosted a Channel 5 TV series premiere, so it’s great to get national recognition from some major partners.

‘One of the key drivers is our booming social media following and active subscriber base – which stands at around 150,000 people – as well as our local volunteers who do such a brilliant job of welcoming audiences, checking tickets and showing people to their seats.’

The theatre also runs the thriving Gatehouse Youth Theatre, which regularly performs to sell-out audiences in The MET studio. In addition, the annual Gatehouse Summer School project gives young people a chance to get their first taste of being on stage and this year includes a Technical Stage School for the first time.

In a first for the theatre, a new satellite venue was added in 2025, with the HEART (Hub of Entertainment Arts Recreation and Theatre) project breathing life into a former TK Maxx store in the town centre.

Last year’s Stafford Shakespeare production of HAMLET also drew its busiest audiences since the event moved from Stafford Castle in 2023 – with sales for this year’s RICHARD III (June 23 to July 4) outstripping even those figures so far. The stunning trailer for the new production, by acclaimed Stafford film-maker Adam Martin, has been seen more than 100,000 times online.

The Gatehouse was also recently selected to take part in a round table discussion about Culture’s Role in Staffordshire’s Beating Heart with Culture Minister Ian Murray and is also at the forefront of the Staffordshire Day celebrations, engaging with local schools and sponsoring the Staffy Trail in Stafford town centre.

The theatre also operates a café, open Monday to Friday 10am to 2pm, and is home to numerous groups including Stafford Film Theatre, Stafford Players, Stafford History Day, Stafford and District Arts Society, Musical Youth Theatre Stafford (MYTS) and Musical Theatre Stafford, which is currently performing Sister Act to packed audiences (ends on Saturday, May 2).

General Manager Gary Stevens said: ‘This has been an incredible year for the Gatehouse, and it simply wouldn’t be possible without the ongoing support of our audiences, volunteers and local partners.

‘Seeing more people than ever enjoying what we offer – from major touring acts to community productions – really highlights the important role the theatre plays at the heart of Stafford. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved and even more excited about what’s to come.’

Stafford MP Leigh Ingham recently praised the theatre in the House of Commons and said: ‘This success is down to the brilliant cast, staff, volunteers, and the thousands of local people who support our theatre.

‘Arts and culture is alive and well in Stafford and I’ll keep pushing the Government to invest in towns like Stafford.’

Councillor Gillian Pardesi, Cabinet Member for Leisure at Stafford Borough Council, said: ‘It is wonderful to see how the Gatehouse Theatre continues to flourish bringing top quality entertainment to Stafford.

‘The performances are supported not only by local people but those from further afield which demonstrates how good their offer is – and how important the theatre is to the Stafford economy, especially in the evenings. I am pleased the partnership between the council and Freedom Leisure has helped our ongoing theatre success story.’

The Gatehouse is operated by Freedom Leisure, one of the UK’s leading charitable not-for-profit leisure trusts in partnership with Stafford Borough Council, which recently funded new exterior lighting and carpets at the historic building, which has been a landmark in the town since 1877.

For details about shows, venue hire or to sign up for the mailing list, contact 01785 619080 or visit www.gatehousetheatre.co.uk