MUCH HAS been written about the £4 million renovations to the Webster Memorial Theatre in Arbroath, but few of those words have been penned by anyone who has actually seen the theatre.
The Herald stepped off the rumour treadmill on Monday, and was given a guided tour by Mr Colin Dakers, on behalf of Angus Council's neighbourhood services department.
The first impression upon entering the foyer is hugely favourable, with a signif
icantly improved area for theatre-goers to mill and throng.
To the left there is a bar area, to complement the main bar upstairs.
The brand new auditorium
Brand new ladies' and gents' toilets have been built, and there is a lift which stops at the main auditorium, the balcony, the assembly hall and the studio.
The main auditorium has improved seating, wider and with more leg room. Seats at the very back, under the balcony - which has been raised a little - give a good view of the stage, although not all the way to the top of the proscenium arch. Seats along the sides of the theatre are angled towards the stage, and Mr Dakers said that this is a feature not enjoyed by side-seat sitters in traditional Scottish theatres.
Lighting at steps and under the balcony is by fibre-optics, representing a significant saving in electricity costs. And the entire building has been re-wired.
As far as bookings of the theatre by local organisations are concerned, Mr Dakers said: "No one from community groups in Arbroath has suggested to us that they are not coming back."
The impression the Herald came away with was of a bright, fresh, modern, professional theatre, with facilities for everyone light-years ahead of what went before.
* Read more about the 'new' Webster in this week's Arbroath Herald
