HERE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY, NOT FOR PROFIT
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Burnley Mechanics Theatre is a magnificent Grade 2 Star listed building opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in 1987 in order to present the absolute best in entertainment, special events and community activities in the town. Inside you will find a modern, multipurpose venue offering impressive performance spaces, state-of-the art technical facilities and several comfortable and relaxing spaces to drink, dine and meet friends. This historic venue has played host to some of the finest talent ranging from Sir Ian McKellen, The Osmonds, John Bishop, Alan Carr, Lee Nelson, Tim Vine, the stars of Strictly Come Dancing and our fabulous local societies; Burnley Light Opera and Burnley Pantomime Society. The Mechanics is also the number one choice for the areas many superb dance and theatre schools to showcase their emerging talent.
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Tel:
01282 664400Tickets can be booked in person and over the phone from the box office during our opening hours, which are
Tuesday – Saturday, 8.30am to 2.30pm.
No booking fees apply at the box office.
Please note: tickets cannot be exchanged, replaced, or refunded and all tickets sent via post will be sent to the card holder's address only. £1 fee applicable.
Parking:
Burnley Mechanics is situated in Burnley town centre next door to the Town Hall on Manchester Road.
For more information on car parking please click below for a town centre parking map.
Please note that there is a car park to the rear of Burnley Mechanics Theatre. This car park is contract only, Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm and cannot be used by the public during these times. Outside of these hours, public parking is permitted, and a pay and display system is in place for Saturday’s between the hours of 8am and 9pm.
Accessibility:
Disabled patrons
Burnley Mechanics welcomes people with disabilities. Assistant Dogs can accompany their owners, and water will be provided. A Textphone service is available on 01282 664444. The Fire Authorities advise that all wheelchair patrons remain in their wheelchairs throughout any performance, and as such, transferring from a wheelchair to a regular seat is not permitted. Able bodied companions will be requested to assist should an emergency evacuation arise. If you use a wheelchair it is vitally important that you inform the Box Office at time of booking as our licensing regulations allow for two wheelchair users per event. Wheelchair spaces are situated on row ‘A’ of the front stalls. Burnley Mechanics operate a free ticket for essential carer’s policy. Please check with Box Office for details as conditions apply.
Concessions and Babes in Arms
All theatre performances are not recommended for children under 2 years of age. Burnley Mechanics reserves the right to ask parents to leave the performance space if they are causing a disturbance.
Accessibility inside the building
Our front room, lounge bar, theatre bar, loft and basement studio are completely accessible for visitors with disabilities. A lift to the first and second floor can be accessed via the Lounge Bar. The Basement Studio has its own ramped access at the back of the building.
With the need to evacuate using the goods lift and/or an evacuation chair in an emergency, we can accommodate up to 2 wheelchair patrons in the main auditorium/theatre bar, and 1 wheelchair patron in the loft; this is directly informed by our risk assessment and agreed evacuation procedure with the fire authorities that details our duty of care to both our patrons and staff. We can be more flexible with numbers in the front room, lounge bar and basement studio due to the exit onto street level.
Any patron requiring an essential companion to attend the theatre to ensure their safe exit in an emergency evacuation needs to be incorporated into the fire risk assessment, therefore up to four spaces will be allocated (in addition to the wheelchair allocation) next to the wheelchair spaces both in the theatre and loft.
Lift access
A passenger lift is available from the main foyer level to the auditorium and The Loft; the maximum capacity is 8 persons.
Please note, the lift can only accommodate one wheelchair patron and carer at any one time.
Hard of hearing
There is an induction loop system in the main theatre; this is accessed by putting a hearing aid to the ‘T’ switch. The most effective areas for operation are, in the raised tier using seats 20-23 on rows F-T, and in the flat stalls using seats 22-25 on rows C-E. Alternatively, the next best areas are seats 1-5 (tier and stalls) on the other side of the theatre. Seats in the centre section should not be used.
Access to the building from the outside
There is a ramp at the Manchester Road entrance, and two lifts; one from ground floor level to the rear of the building, and one from main foyer to the auditorium and the The Loft. Please call the box office to arrange assistance prior to your visit. There is a gradient from the car park to the theatre entrance on Yorke street; should you foresee needing assistance with this, please inform the box office.
A helping hand
Essential Companion Tickets
For selected performances there is a limited allocation of tickets available for essential companions accompanying wheelchair users and the registered blind. These are allocated on a first come first served basis and proof of eligibility will be required.
Eligibility requirements:
• We require wheelchair users to stay in their wheelchairs next to their able bodied companion throughout the event to ensure safe evacuation in an emergency.
• The able bodied companion will be requested to assist should an emergency evacuation arise, therefore must be over the age of 16.
Some events will be exempt such as events where the ticket price includes food and/or drink etc (i.e. theatre-dinners, private hires).
Burnley Mechanics has a volunteering scheme so may be able to provide an assistant for those wanting to attend a concert alone, advance booking is essential, and we cannot guarantee the availability of our volunteers.
Fire and Emergency
In the event of emergency, all essential carers are required to work with trained staff to facilitate a safe evacuation. Trained staff will inform and guide essential carers in terms of where to go.
Dementia Friendly
We want to make Burnley Mechanics accessible to as many people as possible; we have dementia friendly signage installed to support our customers visiting the Mechanics to get around the building. Our events can be very busy, bright, noisy or dark, so if a quiet space is needed, we will do our best to accommodate this and recommend shows that may be suitable to different customers’ needs.
There is always a Dementia friend on duty, please speak to a member of staff if support is required.
Pre-show visits
If you or any of your party has a condition that would benefit from a visit to Burnley Mechanics prior to a performance you are attending, we will do our best to accommodate such requests.
Burnley Mechanics Theatre
Manchester Rd
Burnley BB11 1BH
UK
Hospitality
Whatever your special occasion our Burnley Mechanics Theatre event professionals will ensure it is centre stage and in the spotlight. Prepare your guests for an unforgettable experience amid the grandeur of this magnificent grade two listed building.
Venue Hire
Spectacular, bespoke events to wow your guests
Whether you’re looking for help with the design and organisation of your corporate event, meeting or banquet or a total event production solution, our bespoke events experts and in-house technical professionals will ensure your event is a success.
We have a range of fantastic spaces in the building available for hire (see below). You can also call us to discuss your requirements on 01282 664400.
Click on the venues below to view each in more detail:
Touring Shows
The Auditorium is Burnley’s largest permanent performance space with a standing capacity of 625. Seated in a traditional style the theatre capacity is 495. The beauty of our Auditorium is that it can be transformed at the touch of a button from a traditional tiered theatre to an amazing blank canvass, all thanks to our electronic seating. We can cater for literally anything.
In A Different Light by Diane Muldowney and Andrew Nicholas
3rd December 2024 to February 2025
11am to 3pm, Tuesday to Saturday
This debut exhibition together includes a collection of images taken on phone and mobile whilst walking, initially during lockdown.
Ultimately ‘In A Different Light’ is a story of how some things last whilst other things are
fleeting. How things can appear different depending on whether we are slowly meandering
along or travelling without a care.
Diane Muldowney:
Diane is a Lancashire-based freelance photographer and archival artist passionate about the
post-industrial town she grew up in. She uses photography not only as a tool of documentation but as a means of storytelling.
Andrew Nicholas:
Is a Pendle based writer and artist who uses photography to talk about identity, belonging and lost memories. His work focuses on the sensuality of the past, the outskirts and urban landscapes.
Paul Donohoe, Burnley Street Photographer
3rd December 2024 to February 2025
11am to 3pm, Tuesday to Saturday
As an Autistic street photographer in the small town of Burnley, I approach photography as an introvert navigating an extrovert’s world.
Each image invites you to slow down and see the magic in the mundane, offering a window into how I connect with my surroundings and the people within them.