23/10/2026
October has been one of the most important months yet in the journey towards opening The Royston Venue.
Whilst work has continued within the building and behind the scenes, this month has been defined less by physical changes and more by conversations.
For the first time, we had the opportunity to sit down with residents, community groups, organisations, and more to talk openly about the future of the venue, share our ambitions and, most importantly, listen.
Every project reaches a point where it begins to move beyond plans, designs, and construction work, and starts to become something shaped by the people it is intended to serve.
October has felt very much like one of those moments.
💬 Listening to the community
Without question, the biggest milestone of the month was our Community Consultation a few weeks ago.
For a project that has generated so much interest, excitement and discussion over recent months, it was incredibly valuable to finally bring people together and have those conversations face-to-face.
The consultation gave us an opportunity to explain the vision for the venue, answer questions, and hear directly from residents about what they would like to see happening within the building.
Whilst we've spent a long time developing ideas and exploring possibilities, there is no substitute for hearing directly from the community.
People spoke about cinema, theatre, live music, comedy, workshops, talks, exhibitions, family activities, volunteering opportunities, and community events. Others raised important questions around accessibility, affordability and how the building can remain welcoming to the widest possible audience.
Some ideas were practical. Some were ambitious. Some challenged our assumptions. All of them were valuable.
One of the most encouraging things was the level of engagement - people weren't simply attending to find out what we were planning, they genuinely wanted to contribute to the conversation and help shape the future direction of the venue.
That enthusiasm was incredibly reassuring and reinforced something we've felt throughout this project: people care deeply about the future of this venue!
💡 What we've learned
Whilst we're still working through all the feedback received both during the consultation and through our online survey, some themes emerged remarkably consistently.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, cinema remains incredibly important to many residents. For many people, memories of the building are closely connected to the experience of going to the cinema, and there is clear excitement about seeing film return to the town.
What was equally interesting, however, was the level of interest in everything beyond cinema.
Again and again, people spoke about theatre, comedy, live music, family entertainment, workshops, talks, and opportunities for local performers and community groups.
Many residents told us about events they currently travel elsewhere to attend and the types of experiences they would love to see available closer to home.
The message wasn't simply that people want a cinema, the message was that people want a venue - a place that feels active, welcoming and full of life.
Hearing those themes emerge so consistently was incredibly encouraging and reinforced something we've believed from the beginning: people want The Royston Venue to be a place that brings people together through a wide range of shared experiences.
🎭 More than a building
One question we've been asked frequently since the consultation is:
"What happens next?"
In some ways, that's both a simple and complicated question.
On one hand, the consultation is coming to a conclusion and we've gathered an enormous amount of feedback.
On the other, the real work of understanding, analysing, and applying that feedback is currently underway.
Community engagement is most valuable when it genuinely influences decision-making.
Over the coming weeks, we'll be reviewing ideas, identifying common themes, and considering how community feedback can help shape future programming, venue operations and long-term planning.
Not every suggestion will be possible and not every idea will fit within the practical realities of operating a venue, at least not straight away.
However, every contribution helps us build a clearer understanding of what residents want, what opportunities exist and where the venue can make the greatest impact.
🎓 Thinking about future generations
Another topic that featured regularly throughout October was the importance of engaging younger audiences.
Several conversations highlighted a desire for more opportunities for teenagers and young adults within the town, alongside activities that encourage participation rather than simply attendance.
This is something we had already identified as an important consideration for the venue's future, and it was encouraging to hear it reinforced so strongly through community feedback.
Our recent engagement with students and families at King James Academy Royston's Open Evening provided another valuable opportunity to continue these discussions and hear directly from younger people about the kinds of events, activities and experiences they would like to see.
The future success of the venue will depend not only on attracting audiences today, but on ensuring that younger generations see it as a place that belongs to them as well.
That is something we remain committed to building.
🎟️ Building a programme from the ground up
Alongside community engagement, conversations have also continued with performers, promoters, production companies and event providers interested in working with the venue once it opens.
One of the most encouraging aspects of these discussions has been the positivity we've received from the industry itself.
Organisations have consistently expressed enthusiasm about the venue, its potential, and the opportunity to bring events to Royston. For many, this has been their first opportunity to see what the venue could become, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive.
Many have spoken positively about the scale of the project, the flexibility of the space and the exciting possibilities that could exist once the venue becomes operational. Whilst these conversations are still ongoing, the level of interest has been incredibly reassuring and has reinforced our belief that The Royston Venue can become an attractive destination for a diverse range of events and audiences.
The enthusiasm we've seen from both the community and the wider entertainment industry this month has been particularly encouraging. It suggests that the appetite for what we're creating extends well beyond the building itself and provides growing confidence that the venue can become a vibrant and sustainable part of Royston's future cultural life.
🛠️ The work you don't see
As with every month, a significant proportion of our time continues to be spent on work that isn't immediately visible from the outside. It's often easy to judge progress by what can be seen within the building, but the reality is that opening a venue requires a huge amount of preparation beyond physical refurbishment alone.
Operational procedures, ticketing systems, licensing requirements, accessibility planning, technical testing, volunteer development, staff training and event management processes all continue to progress behind the scenes.
None of these tasks are particularly glamorous, and most will never appear in photographs or videos.
Yet they are critical to ensuring that when audiences eventually walk through the doors, the venue can operate safely, professionally and sustainably.
The closer we get to opening, the more important this work becomes!
🎭 Restoring the stage
October also saw further work undertaken to improve the venue itself. One particularly pleasing milestone was the sanding of the stage floor, revealing the original timber beneath and helping restore an important part of the building's historic character.
Whilst it's only one element of a much larger project, there is something special about seeing a stage prepared for future performances after spending so long sitting unused.
It's a reminder that this isn't simply a construction project. We're preparing spaces where people will perform, create, learn, celebrate and come together for years to come.
Those moments may still lie ahead, but every improvement helps bring them a little closer.
❤️ Thank you for your support
Whether you attended our consultation, completed the online survey, shared an idea, joined a conversation, or simply followed our progress throughout the month, thank you.
October has demonstrated just how much interest there is in the future of The Royston Venue, but more importantly it has shown how willing people are to contribute to that future.
The support, ideas and enthusiasm we've received continue to be one of the most encouraging aspects of this project.
Whilst there is still plenty of work ahead, months like this serve as a powerful reminder that the venue is becoming more than a building.
It is becoming something shaped by the community that will use it, and that's enormously exciting.
🔮 Looking ahead
November will be a month of reflection, planning and preparation.
Alongside reviewing consultation feedback, we'll continue developing programming opportunities, progressing operational planning, and working through the many practical steps required before opening.
Our consultation survey may now be coming to an end, but it certainly won't be the last opportunity for the community to help shape the future of The Royston Venue. The conversations, ideas and feedback we've received over the past month have been incredibly valuable, and community engagement will continue to play an important role as the project develops.
As always, we'll continue sharing updates, lessons learned, and behind-the-scenes glimpses as the journey continues.
If you're a performer, promoter, community group, organisation, or prospective volunteer interested in working with The Royston Venue, we'd love to hear from you!
📧 [email protected]
