Telford Theatre, formerly Oakengates Town Hall, is an events venue in Limes Walk in Oakengates, a part of the town of Telford, in Shropshire in England.
| Telford Theatre | |
|---|---|
 The building in 2008 | |
| Location | Limes Walk, Oakengates |
| Coordinates | 52.6958°N 2.4510°W |
| Built | 1968 |
| Architect | Maurice Day |
| Architectural style(s) | Modern style |
  Shown in Shropshire | |
History
Following significant population growth, largely associated with the coal mining and iron ore industries, an urban district council was established for Oakengates in 1898.[1] By the mid-20th century, the council had established its offices and chambers in Stafford Road,[2][3] which it retained as its base until local government re-organisation in 1974.[4][5] In the 1960s, civic leaders decided that the area needed a public events venue. The site they selected had been occupied by the Great Western Nail Works operated by John Maddock & Co.[6][7]
The new building was designed by Maurice Day in the modern style, built by Pat Smith & Sons (Oakengates) Limited in concrete, brick and glass and was officially opened by the jockey, Sir Gordon Richards, as "Oakengates Town Hall" on 25 May 1968.[8] The design of the two-storey building involved a long main frontage facing southeast onto Limes Walk with a canted main entrance at the south corner of the building. There was a large canopy projected out over the pavement along the southwest and southeast frontages.[9]
The building became a popular venue for concerts: the rock band, Fleetwood Mac, performed there in May 1969[10] and the rock and roll band, Showaddywaddy, made the first of several visits in February 1983.[11][12] As one of the few large events venues in the area, it also became a preferred location for meetings of Telford and Wrekin Council.[13]
A large auditorium was added, with work starting in 1983,[14] and, following further re-modelling, it reopened as "Oakengates Theatre" in 1989.[15] After completion of a further programme of refurbishment works, the building was re-opened by the comedian, Julian Clary, as "The Place" in 2005.[15] The branding was refreshed again and it was renamed "Telford Theatre" in 2022.[16] In 2024, it closed for alterations, to enlarge the main auditorium to seat 750 people, and create a new studio theatre, bar and dining area.[17][18][19]
References
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