Harlequin Theatre set for encore as £4.5m RAAC removal finally agreed
Applause broke out after £4.5 million to repair Harlequin Theatre was finally agreed, bringing the dream that audiences will once again be doing the same inside the Redhill hub a major step forward.
The flagship theatre suddenly shut in September 2023 when dangerous crumbly concrete was found throughout its roof, depriving the town of its major arts centre for more than two years and counting
Now, after what some residents felt were endless delays, Reigate & Banstead Borough Council has signed off on £4.5m to clear the problem once and for all, removing all traces of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) from the building.
It falls significantly short of the £10m the council had been considering, which would have included major upgrades to the building, and a motion to set aside £3.5m for improvements – some of which could be done simultaneously – was also rejected.
The decision will however put an end to the crisis and finally get the Harlequin’s doors reopen.
It is expected to be ready to welcome in audiences once again by 2027.
Councillor Sam Walsh (Conservative: Banstead Village) said: “Our residents have been screaming out for this facility for over 22 months and we mustn’t hold that back.”
The money will allow for the removal of all RAAC from within the building and for other essential works that will allow the theatre to reopen at its previous capacity.
The council will also approve the appointment of a specialist company to market the Harlequin so the council can hand over its running to a third party.
The council ruled against the quicker fix option that would have kept the RAAC in place, and required regular safety inspections, opting instead for the longer – but longer lasting – removal.
Leader of the council, Cllr Richard Biggs said: “Our priority is to get it open, our priority is to actually get the work commenced.”
He added: “We have promised to deliver the Harlequin and the £4.5m that we are asking will deliver that.
“If we approve £3m over five years, from May 2026 we do not set the budget, it is set by the new unitary authority (that takes over after all Surrey councils are merged).
“If we approve (the £3m) we are donating it to the new authority to do what they will.”