UK's Most Welcoming Theatres Announced

UK Theatre has announced the regional and national winners of the 2018 Most Welcoming Theatre award, after an unprecedented 56,000 votes were cast by members of the public.

Most Welcoming Theatre Winners 2018

East

Queen's Theatre Hornchurch

East Midlands

Buxton Opera House

London

Orange Tree Theatre

North East

Newcastle Theatre Royal

North West

Theatre by the Lake, Keswick

Northern Ireland

Grand Opera House, Belfast

Scotland

Pitlochry Festival Theatre

South East

The Mill at Sonning

South West

Arts Centre, Swindon

Wales

New Theatre, Cardiff

West Midlands

New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme

Yorkshire and the Humber

Alhambra Theatre, Bradford

Part of the annual UK Theatre Awards, Most Welcoming Theatre is an opportunity for audiences across the country to celebrate their local theatre. All the regional and national winners will be invited to the Awards on Sunday 14 October at London's Guildhall, where an overall winner will be announced.

In 2017, the overall winner was The Mill at Sonning.

Cassie Chadderton, Head of UK Theatre, said:

'It is fantastic to see a record-breaking number of people all over the country casting votes in support of their local theatres this year. This award is a chance to recognise the importance of theatres as valuable cultural hubs, and the loyalty they can inspire by creating a fantastic audience experience - from friendly front-of-house service to engaging outreach projects and imaginative, entertaining programming.'

The full list of nominations for this year's UK Theatre Awards can be viewed here.

For more information on the UK Theatre Awards and to book tickets to the ceremony visit the UK Theatre Awards website.

The UK's Most Welcoming Theatre Award 2018 is sponsored by Theatre Tokens