TE NEWS: READ ALL ABOUT IT
ON BRAND AT THE UK THEATRE CONFERENCE
It was a strong showing for Trafalgar Entertainment at the UK Theatre Conference, held at London’s Southbank Centre at the end of June, where the company proudly sponsored the event’s Breakfast Session.
Colleagues from across Trafalgar Entertainment came together to represent the business and connect with peers from across the UK theatre industry. The conference provided an excellent opportunity for career networking, knowledge sharing and discussion, with a programme of insightful sessions exploring the opportunities and challenges facing the sector.
Throughout the day, delegates took part in a number of engaging and thought-provoking conversations. A clear theme emerged across many of the discussions: the importance of collaboration – one of Trafalgar Entertainment’s core values.
The conference highlighted the value of working together to drive innovation, share expertise and strengthen the future of theatre. It was an inspiring day of connection, learning and partnership, and Trafalgar Entertainment was delighted to be part of the conversation.
TRAFALGAR HEALTH AND SAFETY AWARDS
This week, Trafalgar UK Theatres celebrated excellence in workplace health and safety at its annual Health & Safety Awards.
Special mention to Cliffs Pavilion & Palace Theatre, named Highest Scoring Venue 2026; Eastbourne Theatres, recognised as Most Improved Venue 2026; and Churchill Theatre, which received the Health & Safety Initiatives Special Award 2026.
These awards acknowledge the outstanding commitment from our venue teams across the group in maintaining a safe, supportive, and high-performing environment for colleagues, visitors, and performers alike. You will be able to track the venues progress in 2026-27 on the new Health & Safety and Security Portal where you can see the most up to date scorecard information along with many other useful tools, and links.
ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING IN BRADFORD
Bradford Live has been awarded the Attitude Is Everything Bronze Award which recognises commitment to making live music and events accessible to deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent people.
Representatives from Attitude Is Everything, who assessed Bradford Live using their Live Events Access Charter, recognised the commitment the venue team has made to improving the live event experience for all event goers.
The Charter covers all aspects of shows, from ease of ticket buying, accessible information, on-site access and customer assistance.
Venue Director Darren Moore, said: “We are proud to be a welcoming and accessible venue for all visitors and are committed to supporting every guest in accessing and enjoying our events. A huge well done to the venue team for all their hard work. To achieve this recognition within just one year of opening is a fantastic achievement and one we’re incredibly proud of.”
In other Bradford news, Radio 119, a project that supports adults with learning disabilities to have greater access to the media and media opportunities, recently visited Bradford Live to tour the venue and speak with Rachel and John from the Box Office team. The conversation featured on BCB Radio’s About Bradford with Ngonie Chiligo on 14 July. You can listen back to the show here: BCB Radio 106.6 FM Listen Again Service
And a young artist from Bradford has seen their winning train seat design brought to life onboard an LNER train after winning a competition celebrating Bradford’s year as the UK City of Culture.
Khyreece, aged 13, from Oastlers School, impressed the judges with a bold and colourful design inspired by Bradford Live. Reopened in 2025, the iconic venue has quickly become a landmark addition to the city’s cultural landscape. The winning artwork has now been transformed into a bespoke moquette – the distinctive patterned fabric traditionally used on train seats.
SUMMER FESTIVAL VIBES IN DARTFORD
The Orchard team were in Dartford Central Park recently for the Big Day Out (Saturday) and the Big Chill (Sunday) – an annual summer festival – where they were promoting panto and the reopening of The Orchard Theatre!
We ran a fun “throw the slipper at the stair” game, where children tried to land a sparkly stiletto on the stairs for a chance to spin the prize wheel. Prizes included bubbles, sweets and one of 20 family tickets to the pantomime, generously supported by Dartford Borough Council.
We’re also grateful to Dartford Borough Council for featuring our Cinderella, Abbie Budden, on the main stage, where she performed The Life I Never Led from Sister Act. After her performance, Abbie spent time at the festival meeting families, handing out flags and even enjoying a ride on the carousel.
Our stall was busy throughout the day, with visitors taking part in the game, getting glitter tattoos and chatting with the team about the exciting reopening of The Orchard Theatre.
And looking back on Dartford Pride 2026, it’s amazing to see how much the event has grown and the joy it brought to the community during its fifth anniversary year. What started as a single afternoon of music in 2022 has evolved into a vibrant week of celebration, connection and visibility.
The town came alive with a wide range of events, including an exhibition at Dartford Museum, a poetry slam at the Sir Peter Blake Gallery and the ever-popular Drag Bingo. The week brought people together and created a welcoming space where everyone felt they belonged.
The celebrations culminated in the memorable PrideFest: The Party at Orchard West, highlighting just how important Dartford Pride has become to the town’s cultural calendar. With everything from film screenings to live music, there was something for everyone, leaving the community with lasting memories of a truly special week.
Finally, The Stage reported on the Orchard Theatre’s grand reopening plans. You can read the article here.
A BLOOMING MARVELLOUS TIME IN SWINDON
The cast of the upcoming Swindon Summer Youth Project production of Little Shop of Horrors took to the streets of Old Town for a high octane photocall with Mental Health Motorbike Wiltshire, before visiting popular local florist, The Flower Pot.
SYP cast members got the chance to meet volunteers from Mental Health Motorbike, a charity that works to support and promote wellbeing within the motorcycling community. Whilst learning more about the charity’s work, the young cast had the opportunity to get up close to the motorbikes offering a glimpse of what audiences can expect when a real motorbike rides onto the Wyvern stage during the August production.
After an exhilarating start to the day, the cast made their way over to The Flower Pot in the heart of Old Town for a colourful photocall amongst vibrant blooms and striking floral displays, offering the perfect background for the young people to get into character, ahead of rehearsals. Luckily for them there were no signs of any strange blood thirsty plants hiding amongst the thorns!
RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
20-year-old Cameron Berry has recently successfully completed his Level 2 Commis Chef Apprenticeship with Southend Theatres. Working under the talented chefs at the Cliffs Pavilion, Cameron has spent 18 months learning the ropes in a busy venue kitchen.
Cameron joined the Cliffs Pavilion as a pot wash in November 2023 and, with encouragement from former Southend Theatre Director Nick Parr, began his Level 2 Commis Chef Apprenticeship in January 2025. During his apprenticeship, he developed a strong understanding of kitchen operations, time management and food preparation, while also learning essential skills such as knife techniques, seasonal menu planning, stock rotation, kitchen health and safety, and catering for dietary requirements and allergies.
He said: “The best part of the whole experience was learning from the other chefs. The knowledge they passed on and their experience was key to me succeeding in my apprenticeship. No day was the same. I enjoyed all the different aspects of working in a venue kitchen – the variety of events to cater for and the versatility of the venue.”
Cameron plans to continue working at the Cliffs Pavilion and take the next level apprenticeship. His ambition is to cook around the world, exploring different cuisines and learning from different cultures.
THEATRE GIVES DAY
On 18 July, theatres across the West End, including Trafalgar Theatre and the Bridge Theatre, came together for Theatre Gives Day, celebrating the centenary of Denville Hall, the residential home for people working in the entertainment industry.
For 100 years, Denville Hall has supported industry professionals from across all disciplines, including performers, stage managers, directors, writers, designers, technicians, producers and front-of-house teams.
As part of the day, theatres hosted curtain speeches and fundraising collections in support of Denville Hall’s Centenary Appeal, with contributions from a number of well-known theatre figures. The appeal, led by Dame Helen Mirren, Sir Ian McKellen and Daniel Radcliffe, aims to raise £13 million to create new assisted living accommodation within the Denville Hall grounds.
The project will help ensure Denville Hall can continue supporting members of the entertainment community for generations to come, providing a welcoming and supportive environment for those in later life.
To support the appeal, CLICK HERE.
