George Ferguson has granted a 999-year lease for Tabacco Factory Theatres free of charge in what has been described as a historic moment for the Bristol charity. The former mayor of Bristol saved the abandoned Tobacco Factory building on Raleigh Road from demolition back in 1993 to repurpose it as an experimental cultural hub for the city.
The lease covers the whole first floor of the building in South Bristol where the theatre company runs from two auditoriums - the Factory Theatre and Spielman Theatre. The independent charity Tobacco Theatre Arts Trust has operated in the space since 2005 offering a rich programme of theatre and other arts.
Owner of Tobacco Facotry, George Ferguson, said: “It has always been my intention that the Tobacco Factory should benefit the wider South Bristol community long after I have gone. I felt that the time has come to start that process.
