BASILDON’S Towngate Theatre is set to be boosted by a £1million pound overhaul - with extra seats and a new restaurant planned for the site.

Council bosses are set to rubber stamp plans for 170 extra seats and a restaurant at the town centre theatre next Thursday as it looks to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The proposals are part of the council’s huge £1billion masterplan to transform the town centre, with more restaurants, homes and leisure facilities.

Council leader Gavin Callaghan insisted the town centre regeneration and theatre improvements go hand in hand.

He said: “We are looking at what we are doing at the moment and I am very concerned we are going to see an erosion of arts and culture due to the Coronavirus recession.

“I’ve had pressure to close the theatre but we are backing it.

“We are putting a substantial amount of money into it, a seven figure sum to increase the amount of seats and add 150 to 170.

“We want to get bigger and better shows and are also looking to get a restaurant chain in there too.

“We are looking to make it more commercially viable and diversify it.

“Our plans are to improve the experience and keep it up the same standard and up to date with the rest of the town as in the masterplan.”

The masterplan includes up to 4,000 high rise homes, a 5,000 seat arena and £8.4million youth zone.

The theatre has been mostly shut since March with next to no live performances and the sell out annual pantomime cancelled.

But bosses did fling open the doors for three Halloween shows.

Last month the theatre was awarded £279,713 as part of the £1.57billion Government culture recovery fund, with bosses saying it will allow for live shows with social distanced audiences.

In a bid to abide by social distancing as performances return, all seats were two metres apart, aside from those booked by people in the same household.

The same meeting will see plans approved to create shared spaces in the council officers in St Martin’s Square - next to the theatre.

MILLION pound plans to extend a theatre and add a restaurant in a bid to draw in bigger shows and more customers are set to be agreed.

Basildon Council will discuss the proposals for up to 170 extra seats and a new eatery at the Towngate Theatre at the policy and resources committee on Thursday.

Councillors also set to rubber stamps plans to share the council building in St Martin’s Square - next to the theatre.

These proposals are part of the council’s huge £1billion masterplan to transform the town centre, with more restaurants, homes and services.

Council Labour boss Gavin Callaghan said it’s about a long term plan and ensure all areas are up the same standard.

He said: “We are looking at what we are doing at the moment and I am very concerned we are going to see an erosion of arts and culture due to the Coronavirus recession.

“I’ve had pressure to close the theatre but we are backing it.

“We are putting a substantial amount of money into it, a seven figure sum to increase the amount of seats and add 150 to 170.

“We want to get bigger and better shows and are also looking to get a restaurant chain in there too.

“We are looking to make it more commercially viable and diversify it.

“Our plans are to improve the experience and keep it up the same standard and up to date with the rest of the town as in the masterplan.

“We do not need as much space as we have in the council offices. We’re doing this to get more people in and share the space.”

The masterplan includes up to 4,000 high rise homes, a 5,000 seat arena and £8.4million youth zone.

The theatre has been mostly shut since March with next to no live performances and the sell out annual pantomime cancelled.

But bosses did fling open the doors for three Halloween shows.

Last month the theatre was awarded £279,713 as part of the £1.57billion Government culture recovery fund, with bosses saying it will allow for live shows with social distanced audiences.

In a bid to abide by social distancing as performances return, all seats were two metres apart, aside from those booked by people in the same household.