Theatre Royal Glasgow photo, Scottish Opera home location, Hope St architecture, History, Date

Theatre Royal Glasgow : Hope Street Building

Historic Theatre Building design by CJ Phipps Architect, Scotland

post updated 16 September 2023

Cultural Venue Development Update

Redevelopment Design: PagePark

Theatre Royal Building News

18 Nov 2013

A campaign to raise funds to transform the Theatre Royal Glasgow has passed the £12m mark.

Theatre Royal Glasgow Funding

The public is now being asked to contribute the remaining £450,000 needed to fund the upgrade.

Support has already come from the Scottish Government, Creative Scotland, Glasgow City Council and Heritage Lottery Fund as well as trusts, foundations and over 900 individual donors.

Work on this Glasgow theatre building, the home of Scottish Opera, will provide a dramatic entrance with access to all levels.

There will also be new lifts, spacious foyers, better bars, more toilets, arts education rooms and a roof-top terrace. The work to bring the theatre into the 21st century will be completed in time for the Commonwealth Games.

11 Aug 2012

Theatre Royal Glasgow News

Cultural Venue Development

Redevelopment Design: PagePark

Theatre Royal Building

WORK STARTS ON £11.5M DEVELOPMENT OF THEATRE ROYAL GLASGOW

Work to create much-needed new public spaces for Glasgow’s Theatre Royal is to begin on Monday, in an ambitious project which aims to create a world-class venue and transform the experience for audiences at one of the most beautiful and historic theatres in Scotland.

Theatre Royal Glasgow, artist’s impression by Brian Allen

Scottish Opera, which has owned the theatre since 1974, has been leading the campaign to raise the necessary funding to carry out the work, which will cost £11.5 million and will be complete in time for Glasgow’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games in 2014. The Heritage Lottery Fund added its support to the project, awarding a grant of £850,000.

Unveiling the design by award-winning Glasgow-based architects PagePark, General Director of Scottish Opera, Alex Reedijk said, ‘Our vision is to open up the theatre to become a social hub – somewhere people can gather with friends for great coffee during the day, enjoy outstanding performances, learn about the performing arts, and discover the wonderful heritage of this beautiful theatre.’

A dramatic new entrance on the corner of Cowcaddens Road and Hope Street will provide spacious foyers and accommodate new bars, box office, cloakrooms, toilet facilities and hospitality suites. The new building will enable lifts to be installed for the first time, significantly improving access to all levels of the theatre. The development will also provide a new Education Suite enabling wider delivery of the arts education work for which Scottish Opera has established a world-leading name, as well as work carried out by Ambassador Theatre Group Creative Learning. For those with a head for heights, a new roof garden will offer views across the city.

85% of the funds required for the project have already been raised. The Scottish Government has committed capital funding of £3.96 million to the development alongside funding from Creative Scotland, Glasgow City Council, The Heritage Lottery Fund and an array of Scottish and UK trusts and foundations, as well as support from individual donors. A public fundraising campaign to raise the remaining funds will begin later this year.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said, ‘This is a major step forward in the redevelopment of the Theatre Royal in time for the Commonwealth Games in 2014. This project will create a world-class venue in which to showcase Scotland’s globally-renowned culture and creativity as well as a lasting legacy for the city of Glasgow and the whole nation.

The Theatre Royal has been a key venue in Glasgow’s rich cultural offering since it was built 145 years ago, and work was carried out in 1974 and 1997 to preserve and restore the magnificent category A listed auditorium. With support from The Heritage Lottery Fund, a major project to research and share the theatre’s heritage will run alongside the building work.

Colin McLean, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, said, ‘The Theatre Royal has delighted, educated and entertained generations of theatre-goers, its fascinating history tightly interwoven with the social history and cultural traditions of Glasgow. We are delighted to add our support to a project which will not only put this national treasure on a world-class stage but along the way will inspire and involve people of all ages with memorable and rewarding experiences which will enrich their lives.’

The redevelopment plans have taken into account the vital role the venue plays in the city’s cultural calendar and have been planned to minimise the impact on the venue’s regular schedule of performances. Whilst the construction programme will last approximately 18 months, the theatre will close only for a 3 month period in early 2014.

Theatre Royal Glasgow Building Design

Commonwealth Games Cultural Venues

The Culture and External Affairs Minister has announced funding to redevelop two of Glasgow’s leading venues in time for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Fiona Hyslop confirmed the Scottish Government has allocated more than a million pounds from its 2011/12 budget for work on the Theatre Royal and the Royal Concert Hall building.

exterior photo © Adrian Welch

Scottish Opera will receive £605,000 to progress plans to upgrade the Theatre Royal while the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) will receive £413,000 towards the redevelopment of its new home at the Royal Concert Hall. 28 Feb 2011

Scottish Opera home at 282 Hope Street – Building Information

Date built: 1867 architect George Bell

from 1880 Charles Phipps auditorium

Address: 282 Hope Street

Architect: C J Phipps

Location: north of city centre, just off Sauchiehall Street at its east end

Theatre Royal Glasgow was built in 1867. The Category A listed auditorium, designed by Charles Phipps, is 116 years old and is the largest surviving example of his work.

From 1957-74 the theatre was home to STV.

The theatre is owned by Scottish Opera and has been managed by the Ambassador Theatre Group since 2006.

Sir Robert McAlpine has been appointed to carry out pre-construction services.

Glasgow Theatres

Glasgow theatre buildings

Buildings close by to the Theatre Royal

Langs Hotel