Octagon Theatre wins Retail/Leisure and Hospitality award

This award is dedicated to recognising excellence in retail, leisure, and hospitality through innovations, customer experience, and community engagement, with entrants judged on memorable experiences and economic contribution.

Artistic director Lottie Wakeham said: “Yeah we’re so delighted – so, so proud.

“It’s very unexpected. It’s quite a broad category, against so many other brilliant businesses, so we’re all really delighted to win the trophy tonight.”

(Image: SIMON WARBURTON)

The Octagon was designed by then-director of Bolton architecture, Geoffrey H. Brooks, and constructed using £95,000 raised by public donation.

It was the first professional theatre to be built in North West England after the end of the second world war, and features to main spaces – the larger Main Auditorium, and the smaller Bill Naughton Studio Theatre.

The theatre was closed in 2018 for refurbishments, with performances continuing off-site at various Bolton venues.

A hub of Bolton history, several notable people have have either worked in or visited the Octagon.

(Image: Dan Dougherty)

Peter Kay used to work in the ticket office before dedicating himself to a career in comedy, and Farnworth born playwright Jim Cartwright was the Octagon’s writer in residence during the late 80s.

In 1969, a then-unknown Farrokh Bulsara played one of his first live gigs at the Octagon, before later finding fame with his new band – Queen – under a new name – Freddie Mercury.

The Octago is currently showing a production of the ever-popular East is East, perhaps better known for the 1996 film adaptation starring Om Puri.