Northampton’s very own Royal & Derngate has been named the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre at the prestigious UK Theatre Awards 2025.
Celebrating over 30 years of creativity and excellence across stages in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, this year’s awards shone a spotlight on the venues that go above and beyond to make everyone feel at home.
The award recognises theatres that excel in accessibility, inclusion, programming, outreach, workforce, and audience development. Royal & Derngate beat off stiff competition from Birmingham Rep and Liverpool’s Shakespeare North Playhouse to take home the accolade.
Judges visited the theatres in person, meeting staff, exploring the buildings, joining activities, chatting to audiences, and even sampling the on-site cafés before making their final decision.
Jo Gordon, Chief Executive of Royal & Derngate, said:
“It’s wonderful to see the hard work, professionalism and enthusiasm of our teams and volunteers recognised in this way. We’re absolutely delighted. Even when faced with challenges like RAAC concrete in our foyers, our teams have maintained a welcoming and safe environment for all our audiences, especially those with access needs.”
Artistic Director Jesse Jones added:
“Since reopening, we’ve been exploring exciting new uses for our foyer spaces—from art exhibitions and vintage clothes sales to video gaming experiences—while continuing to support emerging and established artists and run our community programmes. None of this would be possible without our audiences and supporters, and we’re so grateful for their continued support.”
Northampton can now celebrate having one of the friendliest theatres in the country, a true hub for the community and the arts.