| Telford Theatre | |
|---|---|
 The building in 2008 | |
| Location | Limes Walk, Oakengates |
| Coordinates | 52°41′45″N2°27′04″W / 52.6958°N 2.4510°W |
| Built | 1968 |
| Architect | Maurice Day |
| Architectural style(s) | Modern style |
| Website | Official website |
  Shown in Shropshire | |
Telford Theatre, formerly Oakengates Town Hall, is an events venue in Limes Walk in the town of Oakengates in Shropshire, England.
Following significant population growth, largely associated with the coal mining and iron ore industries, an urban district council was established for Oakengates in 1898. [1] By the mid-20th century, the council had established its offices and chambers in Stafford Road, [2] [3] which it retained as its base until local government re-organisation in 1974. [4] [5] In the 1960s, civic leaders decided that the area needed a public events venue. The site they selected had been occupied by the Great Western Nail Works operated by John Maddock & Co. [6] [7]
The new building was designed by Maurice Day in the modern style, built by Pat Smith & Sons (Oakengates) Limited in concrete, brick and glass and was officially opened by the jockey, Sir Gordon Richards, as "Oakengates Town Hall" on 25 May 1968. [8] The design of the two-storey building involved a long main frontage facing southeast onto Limes Walk with a canted main entrance at the south corner of the building. There was a large canopy projected out over the pavement along the southwest and southeast frontages. [9]
The building became a popular venue for concerts: the rock band, Fleetwood Mac, performed there in May 1969 [10] and the rock and roll band, Showaddywaddy, made the first of several visits in February 1983. [11] [12] As one of the few large events venues in the area, it also became a preferred location for meetings of Telford and Wrekin Council. [13]
A large auditorium was added, with work starting in 1983, [14] and, following further re-modelling, it reopened as "Oakengates Theatre" in 1989. [15] After completion of a further programme of refurbishment works, the building was re-opened by the comedian, Julian Clary, as "The Place" in 2005. [15] The branding was refreshed again and it was renamed "Telford Theatre" in 2022. [16] In 2024, it closed for alterations, to enlarge the main auditorium to seat 750 people, and create a new studio theatre, bar and dining area. [17] [18] [19]
Shropshire is a ceremonial county in the West Midlands of England, on the border with Wales. It is bordered by Cheshire to the north-east, Staffordshire to the east, Worcestershire to the south-east, Herefordshire to the south, and the Welsh principal areas of Powys and Wrexham to the west and north-west respectively. The largest settlement is Telford, while Shrewsbury is the county town.
Telford is a town in the Telford and Wrekin borough in Shropshire, England. The wider borough covers the town, its suburbs and surrounding towns and villages. The town is close to the county's eastern boundary, and near the River Severn. The notable hill near the town called The Wrekin is part of the Shropshire Hills, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. To the south of the town is the Ironbridge Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Places around the Ironbridge Gorge area, which were developed into the town itself, are internationally recognised as being "The Birthplace of Industry" being to a large extent constructed during the Industrial Revolution on the Shropshire Coalfield. The town is the main administrative centre for Telford and Wrekin Council.
Newport is a market town and civil parish in the borough of Telford and Wrekin in Shropshire, England. It lies 7 miles (11 km) north-east of Telford, 12 miles (19 km) west of Stafford, and is near the Shropshire-Staffordshire border. The 2001 census recorded 10,814 people living in the town's parish, which rose to 11,387 by the 2011 census.
Telford and Wrekin is a borough and unitary authority in Shropshire, England. In 1974, a non-metropolitan district of Shropshire was created called the Wrekin, named after a prominent hill to the west of Telford. In 1998, the district became a unitary authority and was renamed "Telford and Wrekin", which remains part of the Shropshire ceremonial county and shares institutions such as the Fire and Rescue Service and Community Health with the rest the county.
Wellington is a market town and a civil parish in the borough of Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire, England. It is situated 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of Telford and 12 miles (19 km) east of Shrewsbury, near the western terminus of the M54 motorway. The summit of The Wrekin lies 3 miles to the southwest. Wellington’s population was 25,554 in the 2011 census.
Oakengates is a historic market town and civil parish in the borough of Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire, England. The town's parish population was recorded as 8,517 in the 2001 census.
Telford is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2024 by Shaun Davies of the Labour Party.
The Wrekin is a constituency in the House of Commons of the British Parliament, located in the county of Shropshire in the West Midlands of England. It has existed continuously since its creation by the Representation of the People Act 1918, and is named after a prominent landmark hill in the area, The Wrekin. It has been represented by the Labour and Conservative parties since the 1920s, a post held since 2005 by Conservative MP Mark Pritchard.
Ketley is a large village and civil parish in the borough of Telford and Wrekin of Shropshire, England. It is located between the outlying towns of Oakengates, Telford and Wellington.
Oakengates railway station serves the town of Oakengates, Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire, England. It has two platforms.
Wrockwardine Wood is a village in the Telford and Wrekin borough in Shropshire, England and is bordered by Donnington, St Georges, Trench, The Nabb and Oakengates. The local government parish of Wrockwardine Wood and Trench comprises most of the Church of England parish of Wrockwardine Wood. In the eighteenth century industrial revolution Wrockwardine Wood was inhabited by coal and iron mine workers and their families. So many people had become Primitive Methodists that the Church of England set up a new parish in 1833 and built a very attractive red brick church, which is grade II listed.
Priorslee is a large village in the Telford and Wrekin borough in Shropshire, England. It forms part of the St George's and Priorslee civil parish alongside Central Park, Redhill, Snedshill and St George's.
St George's is a large village in the Telford and Wrekin borough in Shropshire, England. It forms part of the St George's and Priorslee civil parish alongside Central Park, Priorslee, Redhill, Snedshill and St George's West.
Telford College is a further education college in Telford, Shropshire, England. It operates from one main site and many in-company training sites and community-based courses spread out across Shropshire and the whole of the United Kingdom. During 2017 the college improved its Ofsted rating to Grade 3.
Telford and Wrekin Council is the local authority of Telford and Wrekin in the ceremonial county of Shropshire, England. It was founded in 1974 as The Wrekin District Council, and was a lower-tier district council until 1998. The district was renamed Telford and Wrekin in 1998 when the council became a unitary authority, being a district council which also performs the functions of a county council. It is independent from Shropshire Council, the unitary authority which administers the rest of the county.
Woodside is a residential area within the civil parish of Madeley in Shropshire, England. It is also the name of an electoral ward of both Madeley Town Council and the borough of Telford and Wrekin. The population of the borough ward at the 2021 Census is given as 7,597.
Dawley Town Hall is an events venue in New Street in Dawley, Shropshire, England.
Beveley is a former hamlet straddling the boundaries of Ketley and Oakengates in the Telford and Wrekin borough in Shropshire, England. It is located to the northeast of Ketley and close to Hadley Manor and Red Lake. Nearby places include the towns of Oakengates, Telford and Wellington. and the villages and areas of Hadley and Wombridge. The area is predominantly residential and close to the Wolverhampton–Shrewsbury line and woodlands. Part of the former Roman road Watling Street passes through the centre of Beveley, although this is now mostly bypassed by the nearby M54 motorway between Wellington and Shrewsbury.
Leegomery is a village in the Telford and Wrekin borough in Shropshire, England. It forms part of the Hadley and Leegomery civil parish alongside Hadley, Apley Castle, Hadley Castle, Hadley Manor, Hoo and Horton.
Redhill is a small rural village in the Telford and Wrekin borough in Shropshire, England. It forms part of the St George's and Priorslee civil parish alongside Central Park, Priorslee, Snedshill and St George's.