Theatre News

Winners announced for UK's most welcoming theatre

The Orange Tree Theatre and the Mill at Sonning are among the winners

The Orange Tree Theatre
The Orange Tree Theatre
© Andy Roberts (Flickr)

The winners have been announced for this year's Most Welcoming Theatres in the UK.

This year, over 200 regional and national theatre competed for the accolade, voted for by the public and awarded by UK Theatre. The overall winner will be announced at the UK Theatre Awards on Sunday 9 October 2016.

Chief executive of UK theatre, Julian Bird said: "Theatres play a vital role in communities across the UK, so it has been wonderful to see so many votes cast. This campaign brings together audiences, theatres, performers and producers and gives everyone the opportunity to celebrate their local venue."

The winners are:

East – Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch

East Midlands – Buxton Opera House and Pavilion Arts Theatre

London – Orange Tree Theatre

North East – Newcastle Theatre Royal

Northern Ireland – Lyric Theatre, Belfast

North West – Theatre by the Lake, Keswick

Scotland – Pitlochry Festival Theatre

South East – The Mill at Sonning

South West – Salisbury Playhouse

Wales – Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl

West Midlands – Lichfield Garrick

Yorkshire and the Humber – Hull Truck Theatre

It was recently announced that Vanessa Redgrave will receive the Gielgud Award for Excellence in the Dramatic Arts at this year's awards.

The UK Theatre Awards take place on Sunday 9 October at London’s Guildhall, the ceremony will be compered by Lesley Manville.