New lighting approved as Newtownabbey theatre's revenue almost doubles to £0.9m
Revenue from ticket sales at a council-owned theatre has almost doubled during a recent 12-month period, a report to Antrim and Newtownabbey councillors said.
Minutes of last month’s Community Development Committee meeting showed that income from ticket sales at Theatre at the Mill, Newtownabbey, have increased from £473,627 in 2023/2024 to £891,283 in 2024/2025.
Audience figures rose from 37,670 in 2023/2024 to 47,502 in 2024/2025.
It was proposed behind closed doors at the committee meeting that replacement of lighting at the venue needs to be progressed during the 2026/2027 financial year for the local government authority to “sustain and improve this level of performance”.
The Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council committee was told the facility, which opened in January 2010, at Mossley Mill, has an auditorium capacity of 400.
Replacement of the theatre’s lighting system was proposed as “a priority in order to ensure it can continue to operate as a high quality performing arts venue capable of hosting and accommodating a diverse range of high-quality arts and cultural performances and events”, a report to the committee said.
The report explained that the lighting, which covers the foyer, auditorium and stage, is “reaching the end of its life, partly due to its age but also because it is becoming increasingly difficult to replace incandescent bulbs which are being phased out in favour of energy efficient LED systems”.
It was anticipated that once the project is completed, at an undisclosed cost, improved lighting could result in annual energy savings of £13,000.
Antrim SDLP Councillor Roisin Lynch proposed accepting a recommendation that the project should progress to the first phase of the council’s capital projects approval process, seconded by Threemilewater Ulster Unionist Cllr Stephen Cosgrove.
Councillors were told previously that the borough council paid £2.3m for energy bills during 2023/34 covering 58 facilities.
The highest was £351k for Valley Leisure Centre, Newtownabbey, followed by £323,457, Sixmile Leisure Centre, Ballyclare; £320k, Antrim Forum and Mossley Mill; £146k, Antrim Civic Centre and others, £819k.
Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter