Fundraiser launched to bring new seats to Chorley Little Theatre

Ian Robinson of Chorley Little Theatre wants to see the seating at the playhouse replaced before it falls apart

Volunteers at the playhouse want to take out the current seats, which are decades old, before they fall apart.

The new seating will be more comfortable and will mean more leg room for theatre goers.

“We’ll be closing in August to take the old seats out,” said volunteer Ian Robinson, who has launched a fundraising drive for the seating.

“There will be new flooring and the new seats will go in so will be a tight turn around.

“There will also we a new layout for the auditorium so that we can get almost the same amount of seats, 230, in. It means we’ll lose one aisle.

“We’ve been wanting to do this for a while but things have come to a head. If the chairs break, we can’t fix them, so we can’t fill the auditorium and we lose income and people miss out on shows.

“People will come to the longer shows if they know that the seats are more comfortable.

“We need to do this now to ensure the theatre has a place in the future.”

On the first day the fundraiser went live just under 10 per cent of the £20,000 target was collected.

People donating towards the theatre can select from a range of ways to support the venue, donating anything from £11 - £5,000.

For £11 you will get your name on a wristband, a certificate and a nod of thanks online. Giving £80 will buy a seat and secure the giver’s name on a Wall of Fame.

A chance to sponsor a panto, 10 tickets for the show and your name emblazoned on the poster means a donation of £2,000.

There are also opportunities to buy season tickets or become patrons.

The project will only be funded if at least £20,000 is pledged by 4:21pm on June 19.

To support the theatre see http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/chorleytheatreseats

Chorley Little Theatre has been open since 1910.

Since 1960 is has been owned and operated by Chorley Amateur Dramatic & Operatic Society.

Run entirely by volunteers it stages plays, pantomimes, musicals, youth shows, cinema, event screenings, professional comedy and music and more.

Any profits go back into the upkeep of the venue.

It has close to 20,000 admissions a year.