Leisure & Hospitality
Cornerstone Theatre, Sutton-in-Ashfield
Services
Cornerstone Theatre, Sutton Community Academy
As a flagship piece of Ashfield District Council’s regeneration programme, CPMG led the transformational refurbishment of Sutton Community Academy’s theatre, delivering a bold new destination at the heart of Sutton-in-Ashfield. The project - fully funded through the Future High Streets Fund - underpins the council’s ambitions for a revitalised town centre, combining cultural uplift with community value.
Regeneration & Partnerships
Working in close collaboration with Sutton Community Academy, Ashfield District Council and CPMG, the project reimagined the theatre as a publicly accessible venue while maintaining strong links to the school’s arts and performance curriculum. This collective partnership ensured the design supports both touring companies and student-led activity, maximising the theatre’s long-term sustainability and community value. The regeneration also celebrates local creativity, with a commissioned mural by a local artist enhancing the external façade and strengthening the theatre’s connection to its place and people.
Design & Facilities
The internal reorganisation significantly improves audience flow and engagement. A brand-new foyer and box office now welcome visitors, while back-of-house areas have been enhanced with purpose-built dressing rooms and a green room. The auditorium has also been fully modernised, featuring new flooring, acoustic wall treatments, ceilings and doors, as well as retractable seating that provides flexibility for a range of performance formats.
To support a professional standard of production, the fly tower has been refitted with new stage engineering, lighting, and audio-visual systems, complemented by a state-of-the-art retractable projector and cinema screen. The redevelopment also includes a new external lift to better facilitate travelling theatre productions and improve accessibility for performers and crew. In addition, new WC facilities have been provided for both staff and visiting members of the public, further enhancing the overall visitor experience.
Community & Cultural Impact
On reopening as Cornerstone Theatre, the venue will host a varied programme - theatre, cinema, comedy, live music - attracting both local audiences and external producers. At the same time, Sutton Community Academy students will benefit directly, using the theatre for rehearsals and school performances, integrating their learning with a real-world, high-quality performance environment.
This dual-purpose vision helps cement Cornerstone Theatre as a vital cultural and educational asset in Sutton’s town centre.
