New photos have given a first look inside the £16.9m transformation of Port Talbot’s Princess Royal Theatre — with the auditorium’s angled timber ceiling now in place and the building’s new glass frontage glazed.
Neath Port Talbot Council released the images as a progress update on the project, which is due for completion in the autumn.
They show the oak-panelled ceiling sweeping over the auditorium’s balcony level, with lighting, ventilation and smoke detection being fitted into the new woodwork.
Below, the auditorium floor remains a working construction site — scaffolding towers, pallets of materials and protective boarding covering the space where the seats will return.
Another image shows the full-height glazed frontage in place, looking out over the Civic Square works — where a small amphitheatre inspired by ancient Greek venues is replacing the old fountain.
Inside, first-floor rooms have been plastered, with cabling and copper pipework being installed.
The council said the building and public square were now clearly taking shape, describing the glass frontage as “a defining feature of the development”.
Work began on the 41-year-old theatre last summer, with Morgan Sindall Construction delivering the scheme on behalf of the council, funded by the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
The building is being stripped back to bare brick and remodelled for accessibility — with accessible seating on the top tier and front rows, an extended atrium foyer, expanded toilets and a new lift for wheelchair users.
The bar is being relocated to face the atrium rather than the auditorium.
Backstage, the theatre is being extended by up to three metres so performers can move between the wings without using stairs — and a lift will carry scenery directly from the car park to the stage.
The refurbishment is designed to keep the theatre’s character: timber on the balcony and main walls is being retained, sections of the original white oak stage will be reused as an internal feature, and green roofs are going on each side of the new extension.
Outside, rain gardens and new greenery will manage stormwater across the remodelled square.
Morgan Sindall has committed to a local supply chain within 40 miles of the site, with apprenticeships and student placements during the build.
The scheme — first approved by planners in December 2024 — is part of the wider regeneration of Port Talbot town centre, with the council promising further updates as the theatre “continues to evolve”.
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