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Work to start on Malvern Theatres development next week

Building works on the exciting new development at Malvern Theatres is set to start next week.

The £2.25 million project, designed by Malvern Theatres and Glazzard Architects, will see a 310 square metre extension built creating a new vibrant and inviting entrance to the theatre, as well as more space for educational and community use.

The works will start on 12 September and will be carried out by Malvern based construction company Speller Metcalfe.

As well as providing a welcoming and vibrant new main entrance the new extension will enable the theatre to increase its number of workshop places from around 2,500 to 14,500 per year, including more classes such as music, drama, movement, dance, art and more.

Disabled access to the theatre from the Grange Road entrance will also be greatly improved.

As part of the new development, work has already completed on creating a new 'Changing Places' toilet facility, making the whole theatre complex accessible for people with severe disabilities for the first time.

It will also enable the theatre to extend its work with Acorns children's hospice and other specialist care providers in the area.

The extension project is funded jointly by Malvern Hills District Council and Malvern Theatres Trust with donations and fund raising they secured. Malvern Theatres Trust successfully operates the theatre on a long-term lease from the council.

Cllr Peter Whatley, Portfolio Holder for Resources at Malvern Hills District Council, said: "Malvern Theatres attracts over 300,000 visitors each year and is one of the district's top most popular attractions. Our investment will make a significant difference to the popular venue and will allow the theatre to continue with its wonderful community work."

Nic Lloyd, Chief Executive at Malvern Theatres, said: "I'm delighted that Malvern Hills District Council is so generously investing in this important project, which promises to be of huge benefit to the area. The new studio space will allow Malvern Theatres to produce more live theatre as well as to improve and expand its Education and Creative Learning programme, providing life-changing participation opportunities for people of all ages and abilities in our community."

Matthew Bailey, Divisional Director at Speller Metcalfe, said: "For Speller Metcalfe, working on local projects that have a truly positive impact is at the heart of what we do, and as a Malvern contractor, everyone here knows that the Theatre is a hub of our local community. Having the opportunity to take on this building project is a fantastic way for us to give back to the people of Malvern, alongside the creation of a number of employment opportunities for local people throughout the construction programme."

Claire Thomas, Project Architect at Glazzard Architects said: "Glazzard Architects are pleased to see their design for the new studio space, along with a new entrance for the Theatre, starting on site. We look forward to the local community benefitting from this flexible, light filled, contemporary space".

During the works, visitors will need to access Malvern Theatres through the Priory Park entrance. As well as this, Grange Road North car park will be closed from 12 September to aid the building works.

Visit www.malvern-theatres.co.uk for more information on theatre productions, cinema showings and more.

Jobs Fair to return to Great Malvern

Job seekers will have the chance to find a new career when the Malvern Jobs Fair returns this month.

The free jobs fair will be held from 10am to 1pm on Wednesday 7 September, at Malvern Library on Graham Road.

Visitors can drop in and chat to a diverse range of local employers who have vacancies and opportunities in the area or make an appointment with a particular employer.

They can also find out about other opportunities including training, apprenticeship, and self-employed options.

Amongst the employers in attendance, there will be Aldi, NHS Facilities and Hayes, Radis, Landau, West Mercia Police, Freedom Leisure, Worcestershire Apprenticeships, Royal Navy Submarines and more.

There will also be a Careers Insight Hub in the Children's Library section with experts from different sectors available to answer questions and help with ideas, advice or a change of direction.

Cllr Daniel Walton, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Tourism at Malvern Hills District Council, said: "We've had great feedback from other jobs fairs and people who attended have found them very informative. The fair will be in an informal setting where experts will be on hand to provide advice and an insight into the culture of different businesses. It is a brilliant opportunity for people who may want to earn more money, change their career or who want a bit of guidance for their future".

People of all ages and skill-level are welcome. For more information, contact Malvern Job Centre on 07899114838 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Eco-friendly renovation works completed on toilets in Great Malvern

Renovation works on one of the most-used toilet blocks in Great Malvern has now been completed.

The toilets on Grange Road will open to the public on Friday, 26 August, ready for the Bank Holiday Weekend.

The impressive renovation, which started in April this year, was part of a £176,000 eco-friendly project from Malvern Hills District Council.

The works formed part of the council's Five Year Plan to invest in the refurbishment of five town centre toilets by 2025 and reduce the Council's own use of electricity and water.

The use of electricity will be reduced through the installation of LED Lights and integrated solar panels which are linked to a hybrid battery system within the building. The toilet block will run off this rather than the mains electricity.

As well as this, low flush toilets have been installed which will result in less water usage.

Further improvements made include:

Complete re-decoration
New wall and floor tiles
Ambulant cubicles in both toilets
Refurbishment of the disabled toilet unit
Dyson Air taps

Cllr Peter Whatley, Portfolio Holder for Resources at Malvern Hills District Council said: "We are really pleased with the results of this eco-friendly project, not only is the refurbishment beneficial for the environment, but it is great for visitors and residents too."

Heritage Open Days returns with battle re-enactments and celebration of technology heritage

Re-enactors will soon be taking over the streets of Upton to commemorate one of the final battles of the English Civil War.

As part of the celebrations for Heritage Open Days, held from 9 to 18 September, Malvern Hills District Council is working in partnership with Worcester Re-enactors to help commemorate the Battle of Upton which took place on 28 August 1651.

The re-enactment will take place on Saturday, 10 September, from 10am-5pm and will include hosting a Civil War encampment in The Pepperpot church grounds.

English Civil War soldiers will be marching through the streets of Upton upon Severn, as well as doing pike drills and musket firing which will take place at specific times during the day.

Heritage Open Days is a national celebration of England's heritage and this year's theme is 'Astounding Inventions', with a series of local events being co-ordinated by Malvern Civic Society.

Whether it's transporting visitors back to the industrial revolution, highlighting the legacy of a local inventor, or showcasing cutting-edge innovations, there will be plenty to see and do.

Events taking place across the Malvern Hills District will include walks, talks, pop-up exhibitions, live music, markets and tours.

Amongst the talks will be 'An A to Z of Innovation here on Planet Earth', 'Surprising Inventions from the Malvern Scientists' and 'How World War II was won from the Playing Fields of Malvern'.

A Medieval Pageant will be held in Kyre Park, Tenbury Wells, which will commemorate the Battle of Mortimers Cross with displays and demonstrations, music and a living history camp.

As well as this, there will be a special unveiling of a plaque to commemorate The Lees off Thirlstane Road and the internationally important research that was carried out in the huts that once covered the area.

Roger Sutton, from Malvern Civic Society, said: "The Malvern Civic Society are pleased to work with Malvern Hills District Council to highlight what the area has to offer as part of national Heritage Open Days".

Brian Bullock, from Worcester Re-enactors, said: "Worcester Re-enactors will be at the Pepperpot with a 17^th Century Living History camp, pike drill display and Musket display, including firing. Upton played its part just before the final battle of the British Civil Wars with a battle to remove royalist troops under the command of Col Massey that had garrisoned Upton to deny access to Parliamentary forces over the bridge. We welcome all to visit us during the day and get a feel for what it would have been like to have been in Upton on that date."

Cllr Daniel Walton, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Tourism at Malvern Hills District Council, said: "Heritage Open Days is a great opportunity for us to celebrate our district and the wonderful landmarks we are lucky to enjoy. This year there will be plenty of exciting events to enjoy across the town centres so why not go along and see what's on offer".

Most events are free during Heritage Open Days, please visit www.visitthemalverns.org/hods for more information and to book.

£200k invested in Malvern Splash fitness facilities

The fitness facilities at Malvern Splash Leisure Complex are set to be replaced as part of an exciting £200k project.

Freedom Leisure has invested the funding into the project which will see a refresh of the fitness equipment in the gym, new spin bikes and an exciting new virtual cycling offering.

Working with Life Fitness and Origin Fitness on the project, Freedom Leisure will be able to provide a much-improved gym with state-of-the-art equipment.

Taking customer feedback on board, the training area will be better equipped, with increased leg machines and new, exciting equipment the centre hasn't had before.

A sled and track will be installed to the new functional area along with Air Bikes, SkiErgs, High Performance Treadmill and multi-purpose rack which can be utilised for weight training and TRX. Leg extension and Leg Curl machines will be added, as well as the addition of a Glute Drive and Power Mills.

New ICG 6 spin bikes will be installed in the Cycling Studio along with a new virtual offering, ICG Connect. The ICG Connect System takes a rider's digital data and integrates it via a range of visual formats from gamification to stunning scenery from around the world to create unique interactive video-based fitness programming for your cycling studio.

The project is part of Freedom Leisure's commitment to Malvern Hills District Council to deliver high quality community facilities and it is hoped that it will attract new members to Malvern Splash.

The centre underwent a £2 million redevelopment in 2021 which marked its biggest transformation to date since opening in 1989.

The redevelopment included fully refurbished swimming pool changing rooms, additional family changing areas, dedicated changing facilities for people with disabilities, a new flume, a new wave machine and much more.

Cllr Tom Wells, Portfolio Holder for Community Services at Malvern Hills District Council, said: "We are so pleased to see Freedom Leisure are going ahead with another refurbishment since the successful completion of the £2 million redevelopment project last year. It is wonderful to see Malvern Splash go from strength to strength, offering members access to state-of-the-art equipment and an overall high-quality experience".

Dave Spencer, Area Manager at Freedom Leisure, said: "We are very excited that the gym offering at Malvern Splash will see a £200,000 investment. This major refurbishment will see the introduction of brand new state of the art equipment all round and a dedicated multi-functional space which will also be used to take small based gym classes. This is an exciting time and we can't wait to be able to offer our customers a fantastic facility".

The project is estimated to be completed by the end of November.

Visit www.freedom-leisure.co.uk/ for more information on Malvern Splash and the centres managed by Freedom Leisure.