Banner Image by Tom Wright 1964.
Lincoln Drill Hall has announced that it will be reopening after being taken over by Lincoln College.
The venue in Free School Lane shut at the end of 2020 due to uncertainty about it being able to stay open due to COVID-19 restrictions and a cut to its City of Lincoln Council grant.
Eventually, councillors did not renew the grant in October 2020, leading to the venue being shut down.
Now, with the support from Lincoln College, the arts facility will reopen as a venue for theatre and music – with students from the college using the facility as well as the public.
The responsibility for running the hall will also be passed from the Lincoln Arts Trust to the Lincoln College Group.
The announcement also included the revelation of its newest production.
Jamie Marcus Productions will be bringing back its pantomime production of Aladdin, which was last peformed at the theatre in 2014.
The new production will run from December 11 until January 2, 2022, and is the first show to be announced.
The Drill Hall is expected to open prior to Aladdin but the details have not yet been revealed.
Residents across the area have shown support for Drill Hall, including a petition set up to Keep Funding the Drill Hall in August 2020.
The petition on change.org gained 5,200 supporters.
With the reopening, many have also shared their favourite memories and also their delight to see the hall back on its feet.
Lincoln resident Stephen Donnison said it was “great news” especially as the hall being the place his parents met.
He shared their story, saying: “My mother loved dancing. [She] would go to the Drill Hall. One day their eyes fixed across the dance floor and that was it. My grandad banned her from going but she’d climb out of her bedroom window.”
The photo below shows his parents and his sister years after they had met.
Stephen Simmons, who has lived in Lincoln for five years said: “This is great news. It is one of the few venues that have wheelchair access. I’ve only lived in the area for five years and have been to several shows there. I was upset when it closed. Good luck to them on re-opening.”
To buy tickets for the production of Aladdin, visit this website.