A Grand Performance in Sustainability

The Grand Theatre Blackpool has been wowing audiences since 1894. With its ornate, gilded plasterwork, baroque ceiling, cantilevered balconies and rich history, it’s a treasured landmark in Blackpool. Behind the curtains, the theatre faces a very modern challenge, how to make a 19th-century, Grade II listed building, thrive in an evolving low- carbon world.

For Deputy Chief Executive Colin Johnston, who oversees the building’s upkeep and sustainability agenda, it’s been a long-running production. He has been guiding the theatre’s sustainability efforts for almost 13 years, and recognised the need for expert guidance to help reduce their carbon emissions and costs further.

“When the Blackpool Net Zero Business Academy was launched, I got in touch straight away,” Colin explains. “We were already doing what we could, but we needed a roadmap for our next stage of development, and a clearer idea of how to keep improving on the sustainability journey we were already on.”

From Energy Audits to Action Plans

Colin was introduced to the Academy’s sustainability specialists, who carried out a detailed energy audit of The Grand Theatre, uncovering where energy was being lost, and where emissions could be reduced. The audit led to a bespoke decarbonisation action plan, designed around the realities of running a listed Victorian building.

For a theatre built to ventilate itself, complete with perforated plasterwork in the ceiling, keeping the heat in has always been a challenge. “It’s a beautifully designed building,” Colin says, “but when it comes to energy efficiency, it is a real struggle. The auditorium was designed to allow fresh air in and to be able to self-ventilate. That’s great in theory, but it means we lose heat as fast as we create it.”

Finding Balance Between Heritage and Innovation

Being a listed building means some solutions such as double glazing, insulation and major system overhauls all come with limitations. But working with the Blackpool Net Zero Business Academy has given The Grand Theatre access to experts who are regularly exploring new solutions for all types of buildings.

The Grand Theatre has already started acting on some of the suggested improvements and are gradually replacing the lighting with energy-efficient LEDs, alongside plans to introduce motion and daylight sensors in corridors and rooms where possible. Early results show that the theatre’s actions are delivering tangible benefits, strengthening financial stability through reduced heating and lighting costs.

“It’s about progress, not perfection,” Colin adds. “The Academy has helped us see that even by making small improvements, we are still reducing our carbon footprint.”

Learning, Leadership and Lasting Change

The support has gone beyond energy data and technology. The Academy’s guidance has given the theatre team reassurance that they’re performing well, and that it’s normal to face hurdles when balancing history with sustainability.

“The Academy has given us context,” says Colin. “We now understand not just our direct energy use, but the wider impact of our operations. It’s been encouraging to know we’re on the right path, and that we’re doing the best we can to help reduce carbon emissions.”

Next on the programme

The Academy are now looking into carbon literacy training for the team and trustees, to help embed sustainability in every part of its operations. Despite the challenges, The Grand Theatre’s commitment to sustainability is as strong as ever. Audiences continue to grow, shows keep filling the stage, and the theatre’s carbon emissions are still heading in the right direction.

Colin is keen to recommend the Blackpool Net Zero Business Academy to others “It’s free, practical, and full of useful insights. It’s given us clarity and confidence, and reputationally, it’s a great message to share with our audiences and funders. With the Academy’s support any business can reduce their carbon emissions and save money, and that’s always a positive.”

If your Blackpool based business is looking to reduce emissions, enhance efficiency, and future-proof operations through smart and practical improvements, contact the Blackpool Net Zero Business Academy for fully funded support today.