Norman Bragg Studio, Aylesbury Waterside

The Norman Bragg Studio is the smaller, flexible performance space set inside Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, the large ATG Entertainment venue on Exchange Street in the centre of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. While the main auditorium handles touring musicals, ballet and the Christmas pantomime, the studio works at close quarters, with a monthly comedy club, live music gigs, screenings and intimate theatre productions running through the year. The room also turns its hand to conferences, workshops, exhibitions, dinners and drinks receptions. There is a bar serving light refreshments, and the studio sits within a short walk of Aylesbury station, the bus station and several car parks.

The studio's story is the story of its parent building. In 2003 Aylesbury Vale District Council ran a public consultation on plans for a new theatre to replace the town's Civic Centre Theatre. Norman Bragg, working for the London architects Aedas RHWL Arts Team, was commissioned in 2007 to carry out the detailed design, and a ceremony marking the start of building work was held on 24 May that year, with Councillor Sue Polhill, Chairman of the district council, cutting the first sod.

Construction was carried out by the Hertfordshire firm Willmott Dixon. On 18 February 2009 Ambassador Theatre Group was named preferred management contractor for the new venue, and a six-year management contract was signed in January 2010 by joint chief executives Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire, OBE. Aylesbury-raised actress Lynda Bellingham marked the topping out of the highest part of the building on 24 April 2009.

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre opened on 12 October 2010, officially launched by Cilla Black, with an open air live event hosted by Jonathan Wilkes and Suzanne Shaw. Guests included David Suchet, Simon Callow, Ruby Wax, Susan Hampshire and Richard O'Brien, and Eric Idle sent a pre-recorded message. The first season had gone on sale on 23 March 2010, opening with Northern Ballet's Swan Lake. Costs rose over the project's life, from an expected 25 million pounds when planning permission was granted in 2006 to 35 million pounds when the contractor was appointed in 2008, and 47 million pounds by the time the doors opened.

The acoustic design was by Arup Acoustics and includes a CARMEN electroacoustic enhancement system, which adjusts a base acoustic tuned for speech and amplified events to give a more reverberant sound for symphonic and choral music. The building is owned by the local authority and managed by ATG, now ATG Entertainment.

ATG Entertainment states that it aims to remove barriers wherever possible so that everyone can enjoy a performance in a comfortable and welcoming environment. The studio is described as easily accessible, with facilities within easy reach.

• Wheelchair spaces: two wheelchair positions with companion seats in Row BB.
• Toilets: accessible toilets within easy reach of the studio inside the main theatre building.
• Seating notes: seats in Rows A to J have armrests that cannot be raised; seats in Row BB have no armrests.
• Sunflower Lanyard scheme: lanyards are free to collect from the box office for patrons with an invisible disability or anyone who may need extra support.
• Assisted performances: audio described, captioned, BSL interpreted and relaxed performances are listed on ATG's Assisted Performances pages, and a Visual Story can be requested from the venue's Access Champion.
• Access Membership Scheme: a free scheme allowing accessible seats to be booked online, essential companion tickets where eligible, and updates on access performances.

Accessibility assistance

0333 009 5399. Typetalk users can call 1800 1 0333 009 5399.