Aylesbury Waterside Theatre

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre is the main receiving house for Aylesbury and the surrounding Buckinghamshire towns, standing on Exchange Street in the centre of town. Opened in 2010 and run by ATG Entertainment, it seats around 1,200 people across three levels and presents West End and touring musicals, plays, opera and ballet, stand-up comedy, music and a Christmas pantomime. A smaller studio space, the Norman Bragg Studio, sits alongside it. The theatre is a five minute walk from Aylesbury railway station and within 200 metres of the main bus station, which makes it an easy evening out without the car.

The theatre began life as a replacement for Aylesbury's Civic Centre Theatre. Aylesbury Vale District Council ran a public consultation on the idea in 2003, and in 2007 Norman Bragg of the London practice AedasRHWL Arts Team was commissioned to carry out the detailed design. Building work was marked by a ceremony on 24 May 2007, when Councillor Sue Polhill, then chairman of the district council, cut the first sod. Hertfordshire contractor Willmott Dixon carried out the construction.

In February 2009 Ambassador Theatre Group was named preferred management contractor for the new venue, and a six-year management agreement was signed in January 2010 by joint chief executives Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire. Aylesbury-raised actress Lynda Bellingham performed the traditional topping out ceremony on 24 April 2009 when the highest part of the structure was completed.

The opening date was announced in February 2010 and the first season went on sale that March, with Northern Ballet's Swan Lake booked as the opening performance. Cilla Black formally opened the theatre on 12 October 2010, and the launch was marked by an open air event hosted by Jonathan Wilkes and Suzanne Shaw, with guests including David Suchet, Simon Callow, Ruby Wax, Susan Hampshire and Richard O'Brien. Eric Idle sent a recorded message for the occasion.

The project was costly and much debated locally: planning permission in 2006 assumed around £25 million, the figure had reached £35 million by the time Willmott Dixon was appointed in 2008, and the final cost was £47 million. On the technical side, the acoustic design by Arup Acoustics includes a CARMEN electroacoustic enhancement system, which allows a base acoustic tuned for speech and amplified events to be made more reverberant for symphonic and choral programmes.

The theatre states that it aims to remove barriers wherever possible so that everyone can enjoy live performance in a comfortable and welcoming environment.

• Wheelchair spaces: eight wheelchair positions with companion seats, six in the stalls and two in Circle 1.
• Toilets: separate accessible toilet facilities at each of the principal seating levels.
• Seating notes: all seats have armrests that cannot be raised. Circle 1 SLF 1 to 3 are high, stool-style chairs and may not suit those with limited mobility.
• Sunflower Lanyard scheme: lanyards for patrons with a non-visible disability or who would like extra support are free to collect from the box office.
• Assisted performances: audio described, captioned, BSL interpreted and relaxed performances are scheduled through the year and listed on the theatre's assisted performances pages, alongside touch tours and hearing enhancement information.
• Access Membership Scheme: a free scheme that lets you book accessible seats online, book an essential companion ticket if eligible and receive news of access performances.
• Access line: Accessibility Assistance on 0333 009 5399, or via Typetalk on 1800 1 0333 009 5399.

A visual story can be requested from the theatre's Access Champion. Accessible seats and assisted performances should be booked through the venue's official box office.