Octagon Theatre revamp plans submitted

Plans which will see Yeovil’s Octagon Theatre become a premier cultural and entertainment venue in the South West have been submitted.

The partnership between Yeovil Town Council and Somerset Council will see the development of a £15 million plan that will not only secure the structural integrity of the 50-year-old building for decades to come, but will include major improvements to access both front of house and backstage.

Included is additional equipment to seamlessly move scenery and props which will make more ambitious and exciting productions possible.

Visit here to see and comment on the plans which have been submitted for planning consideration.

Last month an outline business case was submitted to The Department of Media, Culture and Sport, which is providing the bulk of the funding, and the team is now moving through a number of Royal Institute of  British Architect  (RIBA) stages towards submitting a final business case for the funding.

The project has currently completed the RIBA 3 stage (design). The final business case (FBC) will be submitted in 2026 once planning permission has been secured and a successful tender process to appoint a contractor has concluded.

It is expected work would begin during the 2026/2027 financial year.

Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Communities, Housing Revenue Account, Culture and Equalities, Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts said: “This is a major milestone for this exciting project, it’s fantastic to see the plans being submitted and get a glimpse of what it will look like.

“This is the development of a public building, using Government money and there is a detailed set of stages to follow. It is vital we put together a robust business case.

“We are committed to the project being on budget and on time, our aim is to see an improved Octagon Theatre, that has been modernised to be enjoyed by everyone from across Somerset and further afield.”

Councillor Andy Soughton, Leader of Yeovil Town Council, “The Octagon Theatre has played a hugely important role in the life of Yeovil Town for 50 years. Many of our residents have grown up with visits to The Octagon being an important part of their lives.

“The Octagon brings people from the surrounding area into our town, providing an economic boost for our businesses and being a place that bring us together for great entertainment – it is vital for Yeovil and Somerset and our aim is to both ensure it is fit for purpose for years to come and to significantly improve it as a venue.”

The refurbishment includes:

• The replacement/renewal of the plant, machinery and physical infrastructure of the building – investment to meet current compliance requirements and provide resilience.
• Improving accessibility for all, including additional accessible toilets throughout the building for customers, a changing places facility and an accessible dressing room, also with accessible toilet and shower.
• Renewing and improving the auditorium and rehearsal space for a better audience experience and wider participation.
• Reorganisation and significant improvement of front of house facilities – significant benefits for audience experience, particularly for trading incomes from food and drink.
• Backstage accessibility improvements to ensure comprehensive accessibility.
• Plans to improve the environmental impact of the venue - energy efficiency measures/sustainable practices.
• Increased revenue from front-of-house facilities.
• Improvements to the stage house and backstage area will significantly improve the technical aspects of our productions. Raising the roof will enable the team to fly cloths out and a backstage crossover will support the ambitions of the theatre programme and talented local community groups.

The funding is made up from £10 million from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), £3.75 million from Yeovil Town Council, which is made up from a loan, and other sources plus just over £1.25 million made up of ticket levy income, fundraising and 106 contributions via Somerset Council.