A £1m investment project at Yarm School’s Princess Alexandra Auditorium, which includes a splendid new bar area, has been completed.
In addition to the bar, the development has seen the creation of a large lounge area, which will be used by pupils during the day. New changing rooms for visiting performers and a fantastic new drama studio, completes the work undertaken in the basement of the auditorium.
The venue will also benefit from new toilet facilities, which offer an unusually high ratio of toilets to visitors.
The development was undertaken by Darlington-based Wharton Construction and is part of its ambition to attract and showcase big names and high profile performances at the 750-seat venue.
Acts that have appeared at Princess Alexandra Auditorium include Jason Donovan, Elkie Brooks, Suggs, Toyah Wilcox and Heather Small, with future appearances to include Tyson Fury, Ruby Wax and Alan Johnson.
Yarm Headmaster David Dunn said: “The Princess Alexandra Auditorium is attracting fantastic, world-class musicians and performers to Tees Valley. This new tranche of investment is both a reflection of the auditorium’s success and an illustration of our long-term commitment to continuing to grown the number and quality of our events further.
“Hosting dinners and special events is a natural progression and the new facilities mean we can look forward to doing more in the future. A major complaint when attending performances or events is a lack of toilets, and this is something we have purposefully addressed within the work carried out.
“In addition to PAA’s public facility, we have a thriving performing arts programme at Yarm School, which puts on incredibly high quality performances and productions every year. This investment will contribute to enhancing the experience of our students and their families.”