The former Odeon theatre scheme is now £8.363m, up from £7.5m. Cabinet is asked on 8 October for £6.8m more, and the venue would open in summer 2028.

Turning the front of Ashford’s former Odeon into a theatre will cost an estimated £8.363m. That is up from the “up to £7.5m” the council gave in March.

Cabinet is asked on Thursday 8 October to recommend that Full Council approves a further £6.813m to build it. Full Council meets on 15 October. If both agree, main construction starts in spring 2027 and the venue opens in summer 2028 (Ashford Odeon Regeneration Project, report to Cabinet, 8 October 2026).

Two planning applications have also gone in: PA/2026/1718 for the outside of the building and PA/2026/1719 for the change of use of the front section (Ashford Borough Council).

Where the £8.363m comes from

The total includes money Cabinet has already agreed:

£
Strip-out, asbestos removal and safety works, approved March 2026 £1.1m
Design, operator search and consultation to RIBA Stage 3, approved March 2026 £450,000
Further capital now requested £6.813m
Estimated total £8.363m

The report says the total covers “all fees, professional costs, contingencies and other expenses”. Part of it is to come from the Business Rates Pool.

In March the council said a further £5.95m would be needed to finish the job. The request now is £6.813m, about £863,000 more.

The report gives four reasons for the rise:

  • a bigger studio theatre, from 150 to 200 people in March to 152 to 262 now
  • a new external fire escape from the first floor, so different spaces can be used at the same time
  • the entrance and box office moved to sit more visibly on the High Street
  • an allowance for unforeseen costs in a building that has stood empty for years

It also warns that any council capital spent here means lost interest on reserves or extra borrowing costs in future years.

What would be inside

Architect's visual of the restored former Odeon frontage on Ashford High Street, with the brick facade, tall first-floor windows and lettering reading Ashford Arts Welcomes All
An architect's visual of the restored frontage, published by the council. The name shown is part of the visual and has not been confirmed. Image: Ashford Borough Council

The design by Haworth Tompkins keeps the Art Deco High Street frontage. Only the front section of the building is being reopened. The rear auditorium stays empty, kept for a possible second phase. The plans include:

  • a flexible studio theatre for about 152 seated, or 220 standing plus 44 balcony seats
  • a gallery and a community workshop or meeting space
  • a foyer with a cafe, bar and workspace
  • the first-floor ballroom, restored for community events
  • level access throughout and a new accessible lift

The council says most of the known asbestos and contamination has already been removed. Some contamination in the rear roof is outside this project.

The timetable

When What
8 October 2026 Cabinet
15 October 2026 Full Council
November 2026 Planning Committee decision, estimated
October 2026 to February 2027 Detailed design and builder procurement
January or February 2027 Preferred operator appointed
Spring 2027 Main construction starts
Summer 2028 Venue complete and in use

Officers want to start looking for a builder before planning permission is granted. The report says any final construction contract would still depend on consent, and admits this carries a risk of “abortive cost” if things change.

The running subsidy is now confidential

The venue will need public money to run, and the council has said so from the start.

In March, the report to Cabinet published its estimate: about £111,000 in the first year, falling to about £81,000 in a stable year. This time, Cabinet is asked to agree a maximum subsidy over the 15-year operator agreement, and that figure sits in Appendix B. Appendix B is exempt from publication, under the rule covering a council’s financial or business affairs.

The report’s reasoning is that the operator will be chosen by competitive tender, and that competition should push the subsidy down. Officers want flexibility to agree the year-by-year profile with the winning bidder, within the cap. Any deal would include a profit share if the venue does well.

The operator would take a 15-year lease with an option to extend by 10 years. A virtual briefing for interested operators in August drew about 22 people from 12 or 13 organisations.

What the council expects it to bring in

The report estimates the studio theatre alone could draw 10,400 to 18,720 visitors a year. It applies an industry figure that every £1 spent on a ticket generates another £1.40 locally. On that basis it puts the theatre’s extra benefit to the local economy at £364,000 to £655,200 a year.

Those are the council’s projections, not measured figures. They depend on how many performances the operator puts on.

What it means for you

  • You can watch or speak at Cabinet. It meets at 7pm on Thursday 8 October at International House, Dover Place. Register to speak with Democratic Services on 01233 330349 (Cabinet agenda).
  • You can comment on the planning applications. Search PA/2026/1718 and PA/2026/1719 on the council’s planning portal. A Planning Committee decision is expected in November.
  • Do not expect it soon. On the council’s own timetable, the earliest anyone sees a show there is summer 2028.

We covered the September public exhibition in £7.5m theatre plans on show and the search for an operator in our earlier report. More local information: things to do in Ashford and Ashford planning news.

Sources