Gorleston Pavilion Theatre gets blue plaque as appeal set up

Gorleston Pavilion Theatre has become the latest recipient of a Great Yarmouth and District Local History and Archaeological Society blue plaque.

The accolade comes as a £50,000 appeal was launched to fund repairs to the Pier Gardens building.

The building was designed by J W Cockrill and dates back to 1898.

Mayor Penny Carpenter and theatre's Alex Youngs at the blue plaque unveiling and launch of the brick appeal (Image: Gorleston Pavilion Trust)

It had opened as a shelter hall and then became as the plaque says "a theatre and a place of entertainment".

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The popular venue has a seating capacity of 300.

The mayor of Great Yarmouth, Penny Carpenter, unveiled the plaque alongside the theatre's chair of trustees, Alex Youngs, who said a few words about the importance of the building and the trail which highlights other important buildings in the borough. 

The blue plaque (Image: Gorleston Pavilion Trust)

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Mr Youngs said: "Today, the theatre also launched a £50,000 fundraising campaign to fund urgent repairs to the roof and other parts of the building.

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"The mayor personally purchased the first brick from the campaign detailing her tenure as mayor, with the theatre funding the second brick to recognise the 30 years of work of previous owners Stuart Malkovich and Kevin Lynch.

The theatre (Image: Archant)

"The theatre is now in the hands of the Gorleston Pavilion Trust, a registered charity which has aims to fundraise and invest at least £5m into the building over the next five to 10 years." 

Details of the ‘Buy-a-Brick’ campaign as well as other ways in which businesses and individuals can support the fundraising campaign can be found at www.gorlestonpavilion.co.uk/support-us