Old Laundry Theatre to be renamed in honour of Victoria Wood

The Old Laundry Theatre in Bowness-on-Windermere is to be renamed The Victoria Wood Theatre in January 2026, honouring the late writer, comedian and performer’s long-standing connection with the venue.

Wood opened the theatre, served as a trustee, and staged several of her own works there, including Talent in 2008 and a stage adaptation of Housewife 49 in 2013. The renaming has been led by the theatre’s owners, Charlotte Scott and Roger Glossop, who were close friends and collaborators of Wood, and will come ten years after her death.

Scott explained: With young families in tow (hers and ours), we followed Vic’s career as she toured up and down the country, always returning to re-charge in the Lake District. By the time we opened the venue in 1991, followed by the theatre in 1992, Vic, together with Alan Rickman, Griff Rhys Jones, Andre Ptaszynski, Peter James, and Alan Ayckbourn all became trustees and the journey began.

The renaming will coincide with the world premiere of Fourteen Again, a brand new musical featuring Wood’s music and lyrics. We’ve covered that in more detail here.

Vic was always supportive – performing at The Old Laundry in her stand up, doing benefits in larger venues, and productions of her own shows Talent and Housewife 49 at the theatre. So now ten years after her death it is a great delight to be putting on this show, and Vic’s name is on the theatre – we are set for the next 30 plus years!”