Lion Theatre isset to offer bestseats in town!

The Theatre Company launched the appeal to refurbish all 96 seats at their ‘home’ at the Red Lion.

The appeal was featured in the Horncastle News and happily, sponsors have come forward to cover the cost of every single seat.

In fact, the appeal was so successful there is enough funding to replace the stage curtains which, says the theatre, are looking shoddy after 30 years of use.

Shirley Moffat, who has confirmed she has resigned as Theatre Company chairman, said: “We are enormously grateful for the support of members, families, friends and well-wishers who have made this possible.

“The seats have been removed from the theatre and members are currently working hard to get the auditorium redecorated while they are out.

“The Trustees of the Stanhope Hall have very kindly lent us three scaffold towers so that we can get the ceiling painted.

“The seats are due back in the theatre in a couple of weeks and we can’t wait to see how they look.

“The fundraising for the refurbishment has been so successful that the surplus - and further kind donations coming in all the time - will go towards replacing the stage curtains.”

Ms Moffat revealed a ‘Roll of Honour’ will be featured in the theatre crediting everyone who donated towards the curtain replacement.

She added: “Anyone who missed the chance to sponsor a seat and who would still like to help with the cost of the curtains can make a donation at the box office at Horncastle Music Shop.”

Meanwhile, the refurbished seats will be back in place for the opening night of the company’s next production - ‘When We Are Married’ by JB Priestley - which will run from May 18-21.

The programme for the next year has also been decided and details will be appearing on the company’s website - Horncastletheatre.co.uk.

○Ms Moffat said she had decided to resign as chairman after four years in the post because it was ‘time to let someone else have a go’.

She has helped guide the company through a particularly traumatic time when the entire future of the theatre was under threat because of doubts about the ownership of the Red Lion site.

Happily, the theatre has established a positive relationship with the new owners of the site - Sam Smith’s Brewery.

She added: “The company has elected Wendy Ireland to be our new chairman and I wish Wendy and the new committee members all the very best.”