Glasgow Theatre Royal stage refurbishment approved to remove asbestos

The stage at Glasgow’s Theatre Royal will be refurbished as a bid to upgrade the venue, including the removal of asbestos, has been approved.

Planners at Glasgow City Council have given the go ahead to Ambassador Theatre Group for work which will ensure the “continued future use of the venue”, which is home to Scottish Opera and Scottish Ballet.

The firm’s application stated the improvements to the A-listed Hope Street theatre, originally opened in 1867, will provide a “user-friendly stage” for “different touring productions”.

They will alleviate worries over the theatre’s ability to host modern productions.

The current timber stage will be replaced with a new timber stage, but the steel beams will be reused.

Asbestos is to be removed by a specialist contractor, with the area sealed and air tested before the new stage floor is installed.

A statement submitted to the council added: “At present the existing stage cannot be fully accessible due to the asbestos layer sandwiched within the stage.

“This makes load rating the stage very difficult. And any additional propping, usually from underneath the stage, cannot be installed.”

The statement continued: “Many of the operas have scenery for different sets, these must be supported by the stage.

“Unfortunately, as the stage loads cannot be calculated, it is becoming increasingly worrying as to whether the stage can accommodate future productions and the ever-increasing technologies associated with the industry.”

Installing a new timber stage will mean the “floor can be calculated for load ratings and future shows can be accommodated”.

The theatre is the oldest in Glasgow and it is hoped the works will provide “a permanent solution to improve the stage loads for future shows”.

It is expected the new stage will “comply with current regulations and standards and be more accommodating to future productions”.