The people behind Brighton venue Komedia are planning on converting a former cinema in Bath into a new live entertainment venue. The project has actually been in development for a while, but planning restrictions have so far stopped plans to turn the former movie theatre into an arts and music venue. However, said restrictions have been overcome and, according to Music Week, Komedia have now signed and exchanged leases with Bath And North East Somerset Council.
Komedia in Brighton offers an eclectic programme of theatre, comedy and music, though its in house theatrical productions have been curtailed somewhat by recent Arts Council cuts. The Bath venue will be the firm's first full time venture outside Brighton, though they have been active at the Edinburgh Festival on and off for years. It is expected to offer a similarly eclectic programme of arts and culture, and is expected to provide Bath with a valuable new music venue.
Commenting on the Bath venture, Komedia co-founder Colin Granger said this: "We're over the moon Komedia Bath is now but a few months away from completion. We've got a superb design from our Bath architects, Stubbs Rich, to convert the former ABC cinema into a live arts venue and have already started work with Sturland Builders on transforming this wonderful building into a fully working space once again".