Century Venues Purchases The Victoria Theatre

Sydney based live entertainment group and owner of the Enmore Theatre a heritage theatre building dating from 1908, have purchased Victoria Theatre in Newcastle. It remains the oldest theatre in NSW which has been Boarded up for more than a decade.

Managing Director Elia Eliades and co-director Greg Khoury said

"The Victoria Theatre Newcastle is without doubt a building of national significance and a rare opportunity. Its retention and revitalisation as a working heritage theatre should be unequivocal. We are excited by the huge challenge ahead and look forward to working closely with the city and people of Newcastle in returning this treasure to its rightful place as a great cultural asset."

As theatre venue operators and producers Century Venues has a long-history with heritage theatre buildings which they see as "sacred-sites". The Enmore Theatre Newtown is a classic example and Century were heavily involved with the campaign to retain The Regent and Capitol Theatres. We took the Enmore from dereliction in the early 1980's to create a much-loved, working heritage theatre that has become an essential part of the cultural landscape. In 2014 it generated over $24 million of additional, elective spending to the immediate surrounds from its 240,000 annual attendees.