The Royal Court Liverpool Trust today announced a new trustee to its board. Martyn Best will join trustees Jonathan Falkingham, co-founder and Chief Executive of Urban Splash and Mark Featherstone-Witty, Founding Principal and Chief Executive of LIPA under the Chairmanship of Her Honour Elizabeth Steel DL.
Martyn Best, Senior Partner of Paver Smith and Deputy President of the Liverpool Society of Chartered Accountants, expressed his delight at joining the Board of Trustees: “I’m honoured to be given the opportunity to help a theatre that has not only been such a strong part of Liverpool life, and it’s rich theatrical heritage, but also one that has been strongly present in my own life. I’m a tremendously long-standing (and sitting) fan of the Royal Court, which feels like an old pal, and I hope I can add to the wonderfully ambitious plans to not just restore, but to make the Royal Court Theatre yet one more fine example of the restoration of Liverpool.”
Martyn is a Chartered Accountant having qualified with Duncan Sheard Glass before joining Ernst & Young and eventually becoming a co-founder of leading PR agency Paver Smith in 2006. Martyn hails from Maghull originally and studied Accountancy at LJMU. He is a good friend of writer Fred Lawless who penned the recent Royal Court smash hit, Scouse Pacific as well as other classics including Merry Ding Dong and A Fistful of Collars.
The Royal Court Liverpool Trust was formed in 2008. It is a registered charity with the aims of safeguarding the Royal Court Theatre as a performance venue and engaging local communities with the wonderful Art Deco building and its rich history.
Her Honour Elizabeth Steel DL says: “We are very pleased that Martyn has agreed to join us. We are a small, highly motivated and determined group. Martyn’s many skills will help us to achieve our goals and make us an even stronger force in the city. We are all passionate about the Royal Court and its wonderful audiences. Our plans are to make significant improvements to the theatre for their benefit and we can’t wait to get started.”
Gillian Miller, founder and Chief Executive of the Royal Court Liverpool Trust adds: “It’s great to have Martyn on board. We have a very happy board of trustees who have already achieved great things. Without them, we would not have a long lease from the Council for the theatre or a first round Heritage Lottery pass. The Trustees all give their time and skills freely and are a huge asset to the theatre and its plans for the future”.
Notes to Editors
The Trust appointed award-winning architects, Allford Hall Monaghan Morris following an open competition to renovate and restore the grade ll listed theatre. The architects have been working with the Trust to develop a £10.6 million scheme that is planned to be phased to enable the theatre to operate as much as possible throughout improvement work.
The Royal Court Theatre has undergone something of a renaissance in recent years finding new audiences for home-produced theatre. Audiences enjoy the relaxed cabaret-style seating with dinner and drinks pre-show. The scheme by AHMM will develop this unique style further and make the whole building much more comfortable for all customers.
An exhibition of the final plans for the theatre will be shown in the RIBA Architruck on Williamson Square from the 3 – 7 May. The exhibition will be open from 11am – 4pm and is free.
The Trust has a first round pass from the Heritage Lottery Fund to work the plans up to RIBA Stage D and further and planning permission and listed building consent will be sought for the whole scheme from Liverpool city Council later this month.
Visit www.royalcourttrust.org
For further information please contact:
Gillian Miller
Chief Executive
Royal Court Liverpool Trust
0151 702 5892
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Iain Christie
Marketing Manager
Royal Court Theatre
0870 787 1240
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Martyn Best
0151 239 5000
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