Glasgow's beloved Pavilion Theatre has been taken over by Trafalgar Entertainment.
The venue, which is one of the oldest in Scotland and dates back to 1904, was the last privately run theatre in Scotland.
Located on Renfield Street, the 1,449-capacity Pavilion Theatre will become part of Trafalgar Entertainment's Trafalgar Theatres division and will sit alongside other venues including Trafalgar Theatre in London’s West End, the Theatre Royal Sydney in Australia and 12 UK regional theatres such as Southend Cliffs Pavilion, the New Theatre, Cardiff, G Live and Wycombe Swan.
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The Pavilion Theatre, has welcomed countless household names over the years – from stars of music-hall and variety like Marie Lloyd, Harry Lauder and Charlie Chaplin; Glasgow legends Billy Connolly, The Krankies and Lulu; and comedians John Bishop, Sara Pascoe and Jason Manford.
Iain Gordon, General Manager at The Pavilion Theatre since 1984 will be retiring from his role as part of the changes.
He said: “The time is right - and this is the right time for me to move onto pastures new. Having been employed by the Pavilion since 1977 I am proud to have been a part of taking the theatre to where it is now. I feel enormously lucky to have worked, throughout my time, with such a dedicated staff and professional performers who have all worked hard as part of ‘The Pavilion Family’ to provide good all-round affordable entertainment.
“Finally, I would like to thank our audience who have all supported me and the Pavilion over the years and I am confident they will continue to do so.
“I wish them all well for the future and hope the Grand Old Lady of Renfield Street continues to live on and prosper well into the future.
“Thanks all – it's been hard work, fun, and definitely memorable along the way!”
Dame Rosemary Squire, Joint Co-Founder and CEO of Trafalgar Entertainment, said: “We are thrilled and delighted to have the opportunity to be the future operators of The Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow. Over the past five-decades the current owners, the General Manager Iain Gordon, and his team have done a fantastic job.
"We pay tribute to their tenacity, commitment and hard-work - and the legacy they leave.”
Helen Enright, CEO of Trafalgar Theatres, added: “Glasgow is a vibrant, energetic city and The Pavilion Theatre has earned its place in the city’s entertainment landscape.
"We are committed to building on that success – continuing to do what the Pavilion does best, maintaining the legacy of one of Glasgow’s best-loved and best-supported pantomimes, increasing the number of shows presented, investing in the building, growing audiences and ensuring a successful future for this beautiful, iconic theatre.”
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