This wonderful venue is a replica of the London Palladium, by the same designer. and is not only a gem but very much, is a venue not to be missed by event planners looking to put on a “Grand” event for an affordable price!
Known affectionately as The Grand, this venue packs a fantastic punch across a 1200-seater auditorium and numerous meeting spaces. Excelling since 1894, this beautiful auditorium recently saw a £1.2 million pound renovation turn it into an event-prof’s dream!
The three meeting paces, The Encore Lounge, The Utopia Suite and the Spotlight Lounge shine as stunning examples of how a venue can allow itself to be nimble in the kind of events it can cater for.
There’s no doubt that this brilliant venue, with a star-studded history, is known for the breathtaking auditorium at its core. However, the team here, led by Chief Executive, Karen Smallwood, have allowed this fantastic facility to become more than just a theatre and now, one of the most flexible and characterful events spaces in the West Midlands.
The Grand is an excellently located venue which we made our way to with ease. When it comes to auditoriums, you want the delegates to be filling up the capacity to be able to find your venue with ease - the Grand has that bit covered…
The Wolverhampton Grand Theatre is located right next to the brand new £150 million Bus, Metro, Cycle and Train station that services Wolverhampton city! The station, built in 2021 is the modern gateway in and out of the brown, and even better it’s a less than a minute’s walk from the front door of the grand! The train station operates trains every 20 minutes to Birmingham with a journey time of less than that, meaning you’re never much more than half an hour from England’s second city!
If you’re getting to the Grand by car - there’s no issue there either, Wolverhampton is serviced by the easy to navigate A4150 Ring Road which makes getting about in your car no stress. There are numerous multi-storey parking spots surrounding The Grand that we didn’t find too pricey at all!
Within the city, the Grand is perched between a Britannia hotel and the Wolverhampton Art Gallery, two great options to make a full away-day out of your event! There’s also plenty of food and drink options nearby, with a Nando’s and Wetherspoons just over the road.
Another detail we loved about The Wolverhampton Grand Theatre is that it’s a registered Charity, with all profit reinvested, and you can tell. The upkeep and maintenance of this stunning, nearly 150-year-old building is next to none.
The Grand’s charity work sees them undertake amazing work within the community, including the Memory Cafe group. This group is a brilliant, free, initiative to help those suffering with dementia to enjoy a morning of professional, theatrical entertainment in a supportive environment.
Address: Lichfield Street WV1 1DE
Website: https://www.grandtheatre.co.uk/
Sales Contact: James Wigley - Head of Commercial & Events
Phone Number: 01902 573320
Email Address: Events@grandtheatre.co.uk
Once inside The Grand however, is where the real magic begins. The Grand boasts a beautiful entrance and foyer, which were a large part of the award-winning renovation process of this Grade II listed space. The team here told us that the brief for the foyer was to transform it back to the opulence of the 1920’s, an era when theatres were at their peak. So let us tell you that they’ve done exactly that, with half a mind on corporate entertainment, this space is night and day from its dated predecessor, boasting improved seating, a well-stocked bar and brilliantly stylish 20’s themed decor!
The bar in the foyer is one of four in the venue. The second is located on the ground floor. In the Encore Lounge (more on this great spot later!) with the other two upstairs in the Dress Circle and PIA Lounge respectively. The bars are all available to be included in your package when hiring out the venue and can provide a great base for a networking/drinks reception area!
The team that manages the facilities here are of the highest tier when it comes to event delivery. Enquiries always have one designated manager all the way from sale to delivery, meaning that as an organiser you can build a close relationship with your handler, allowing your event to run at peak efficiency!
The team at The Grand are so friendly! They take a personal approach and are very flexible as to meet whatever your requirements might be, no matter the eccentricity of your event… you think the theatre doesn't know a thing or two about eccentrics? This venue has hosted
Sir Ian McKellen, Christoper Biggins, Gary Barlow, John Bishop, Beverley Knight and Des O’ Connor, to name a few. This is a stage your event could take place on too, making your delegates stars in their own right.
MEETING SPACE HIGHLIGHT: The Auditorium
The stunning auditorium, with its golden rafters and totally unrestricted views is one of the most impressive theatre spaces we’ve ever had the privilege of highlighting. The magnificent CP Phipps designed room accommodates approximately 1,200 guests across three levels.
We know it might be cheating, but the Spotlight Lounge is located just off the Grand Circle of the auditorium and even though the Spotlight is its own space, this area works perfectly as either a breakout boardroom for up to 18 attendees or a relaxed event space for up to 30. Quirky signage and a big board table that can flexibly turn into training desks (impressive) caught our eye in this space perfect for smaller, more focussed meetings for your team!
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MEETING SPACE HIGHLIGHT: Encore Lounge
On the ground floor, the Encore Lounge in the Stalls comfortably seats 50 in theatre-style arrangement or hosts 60 for standing events, with flexible layout options to suit your needs. This suite has unique seating options, with booths providing a more intimate, relaxed feel with flexible chair layouts that can be tailored for talks, training or traditional meeting settings. The funky style in this room is personified by the gorgeous grand piano in the far corner and amazing ENCORE LED signage on the back wall!
Location: Stalls
Natural daylight: Yes
Theatre style layout – capacity: 40
Cabaret style layout – capacity: 35
Drinks reception – capacity: 60
AV equipment: additional cost upon request
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MEETING SPACE HIGHLIGHT: The Utopia Suite
If you're seeking something more intimate, the Utopia Suite on the second-level Dress Circle provides a cozy setting for 12-15 people. The design here is gorgeous, art deco trimmings and bold splashes of colour make this a supremely modern and airy space that really impressed us and stood out as the venue’s freshest offering!
Location: Dress Circle (Second Level)
Natural daylight: Yes
Theatre style layout – capacity: 12
Dinner – capacity: 10
Drinks reception – capacity: 12
AV equipment: Additional cost upon request
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Summary
That’s all folks! Whether you're planning a corporate event, intimate gathering, or full-scale event production, we’d say Grand Theatre in Wolverhampton offers the perfect blend of historic charm and modern flexibility at an affordable price. With its stunning auditorium, versatile meeting spaces, and a dedicated team that guides you from enquiry to execution, this architectural gem is ready to transform your next event into a truly grand experience!