The Grand Theatre will be throwing open its doors to enthusiasts of architecture, theatre and history for a free behind the scenes tour of the ‘hidden gem of the North’. The Grand Theatre, Blackpool is hosting its annual Heritage Open Day on Sunday 9 September, with various tours taking place throughout the day between 10am to 4pm.

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The beautiful Grand Theatre is a Grade II* listed Victorian building and will be holding a Heritage Open Day this Sunday. The event forms part of the European-wide initiative Heritage Open Days, which is co-ordinated by the Civic Trust. Heritage Open Days give people the opportunity to delve into areas not normally open or available to the general public in a variety of private homes, castles, follies, industrial sites, churches, and Blackpool’s very own Grand Theatre! Locally, over 1,400 organisations and some 40,000 volunteers organise thousands of site openings and events, jointly attracting over 1 million visitors.

This year visitors will be able to join organised guided tours, given by ‘Frank Matcham’ himself (or so it would seem!), of the beautiful Grand Theatre for free, with opportunities to catch a glimpse behind the scenes of the theatre, view the extensive archive collection and explore the auditorium, taking in the enchanting décor and decorative Matcham features.

The Grand Theatre boasts a rich history, having been built by the leading Victorian architect Frank Matcham in 1894, and described by the first theatre manager Thomas Sergenson as ‘Matcham’s Masterpiece’. This title is even more merited now, as there are few surviving examples of the work of Frank Matcham. The theatre took just nine months to build and cost Sergenson £20,000, part of which he had earned by operating two small rented theatres and from a circus that he staged for five summer seasons on the site of The Grand. Why not step back in time for the day and discover the beauty, architecture and history of the stunning Grand Theatre.

The Grand Theatre’s Heritage Open Day will take place on Sunday 9 September from 10am to 4pm. Guided tours of the theatre will take place at 10:30am, 11:45am, 1:00pm, 2:15pm and 3:30pm. Booking in advance for the free of charge guided tours is recommended, please call our Box Office on 01253 290 190 to reserve your place.

Visit the official site www.heritageopendays.org.uk/