Best Major Regeneration of an Historic Building or Place - Over £1million

The Grand Opera House, is one of the jewels in the catalogue of Frank Matcham theatres dotted across the UK. To mark the theatre’s 125th anniversary, the Grand Opera House Trust embarked on the biggest restoration project since the 1970s to return this matchless heritage asset to its former glory. Work began in January 2020 to conserve the auditorium and reconfigure earlier modifications to fit the needs of theatre productions today. Decowell led the restoration and conservation of the ornate auditorium plasterwork and detail, the seats were replaced and new carpets were laid. The outdated auditorium equipment was also upgraded, now the sound, lighting and stage equipment is ready for modern theatre productions. The Grand Opera House is an iconic building in Northern Ireland and the restoration project has secured the future of the building for future generations.