A major refurbishment of the 60-year-old Cliffs Pavilion has finally begun and will bring extensive improvements to the largest purpose-built performing arts venue in Essex.
On Monday, 12 August this year, it finally happened! After years (some say as many as 18!), the much-anticipated and long-overdue refurbishment of the iconic Cliffs Pavilion began. The big changes will take a few months to materialise, but already you can see works progressing at the Westcliff venue.
Apart from the auditorium itself and the backstage areas, just about everything else will be getting a major facelift. A new entrance and lobby will welcome you into the venue, creating a much-improved customer experience. New toilets, new bars, a new lift, and a new piazza outside the venue will bring our 1964 entertainment giant into the 21st century. Our hugely popular restaurant will also be getting its biggest-ever overhaul, with a stunning new design, new furniture, and an exciting new pre-show menu.
The Show Goes On
All of this comes at a cost in terms of cash, time, and disruption. But in true theatrical tradition, the show must go on! The Cliffs will stay open throughout the whole refurbishment project, and performances and events across the venue will be unaffected by the works. We may look a bit different, but we’ll still be delivering Essex’s biggest entertainment programme for the rest of 2024 and throughout 2025. Our daytime café bar, with its stunning estuary views, will also be open every day, 10 am to 4 pm – so why not pop along and see how the work is progressing?
Major Investment in Cliffs’ Future
We expect the first phase of the project to be completed in late 2025, with the final stage (including the main bar and the external works) completed later in 2026.
Around £5.5m of the project is being funded through what was called Levelling Up, announced by the Government in October 2021, with additional investment from Southend-on-Sea City Council and Trafalgar Entertainment (who operate the venue).
Of course, it is not the first time the Cliffs has seen investment and improvement. Back in the early 1990s, the traditional 1960s ‘hall’ was reworked to include a balcony, creating a much larger capacity and resulting in the venue becoming one of the UK’s top ten regional theatres.
Uninterrupted Entertainment
The Cliffs Pavilion also hosts events in our function rooms alongside the shows in the main space. Whether that’s a Pie, Mash and Quiz Night, Fanny Galore’s Big Night Out, Bingo or Brunch (she’s a busy lady!), a Tropicana 80s Night, or even an immersive dining experience like Aunt Fanny’s Diner, throughout the refurbishment, we will still be providing the best entertainment in the City.
Temporary Changes During Renovation
Whilst the works are ongoing, our Box Office has moved from the ground floor entrance (off Station Road) to the lower ground floor, near the Maritime Room. Our pre-show dining experiences are now in our beautiful function rooms, with access from the cliff side of the building.
Our partners on the project are Southend-on-Sea City Council, who own the building, and Rochford-based contractor Auburn Group. Auburn is a leading construction company specialising in sustainable construction and development projects.
Sustainability at the Heart of the Project
The project has great sustainability credentials, including:
- Good solar control to limit solar gain and glare.
- Efficient air handling units with heat recovery systems to reduce their carbon footprint.
- Daylight provisions throughout with energy-efficient lighting internally and externally designed to reduce light pollution.
- Improved water consumption and waste minimisation.
- Re-using as much of the existing building fabric and foundations as possible, reducing the carbon footprint of the new elements where we can.
Continued Warm Welcome
A visit to the Cliffs Pavilion over the coming months may be a little different, but whatever you are coming for – a great show or event, a meal, or just a quick coffee overlooking the estuary – we will be ready to welcome you and ensure that you have a great visit: thecliffspavilion.co.uk