Refurbishment plans for The Capitol in Horsham have been revised, enabling the venue to now remain open for 2025 before full refurbishment commences in 2026.
In February 2024 Horsham District Council announced plans to refurbish The Capitol which would have required a full closure of the venue between April 2025 and September 2026. These plans were revised in October 2024 due to predicted escalating costs and the project was rescoped to reduce costs whilst still delivering the key priority improvements identified in a recent user feedback survey.
There will be a short closure of the main theatre auditorium between April and May 2025 to facilitate structural surveys and some interim seating improvements. Essential roof repairs will also be carried out across the summer period to make the building watertight in advance of the full refurbishment in 2026.
Cinemas will now run as normal throughout 2025, and a range of creative workshops are planned for the summer months. Customers will have the chance to try their hand at costume design, sound design, as well as practical singing activities and art classes.
A full autumn programme will run between September and November 2025. Season highlights include family favourite The Koala Who Could, comedian Milton Jones and a special talk from sporting legend Nigel Owens. Significantly, we can now deliver our pantomime for 2025 which will be Robin Hood. There will also be two festive productions on offer in the smaller Studio theatre: a family show for little ones entitled The Christmas Bunny alongside Dickens’ classic tale A Christmas Carol.
The planned full refurbishment will begin in early January 2026 and will see improvements across the whole venue including:
- Full refurbishment of both the theatre auditorium and cinema screens including new seating
- Enhancements to all public areas including toilets and the addition of a Changing Places facility.
- Replacement of all audio visual equipment
- Upgrading and replacement of mechanical, electrical and plumbing services including heating/boilers which have reached end of life.
The full refurbishment is expected to take some 40 weeks with the venue reopening in time for the 2026 pantomime.
Senior councillors will look to fully approve the plans at a Horsham District Council Cabinet meeting on 19 March.
