THE Coronation Hall in Ulverston is set to celebrate the beauty and wonder of our planet as it throws open its doors for the first time in eight months with a programme inspired by the theme ‘Our Earth’.

This comes after months of questioning from residents who were concerned for the future of the venue after they announced redundancies back in August 2020.

But this August, theatrical and musical performances, film screenings and topical discussions will take place under the majestic presence of Gaia – a free-to-visit, awe-inspiring visual installation recreating the view of our planet from space – with further performances and interactive installations popping up around Ulverston.

Beth Kennedy, Director of Ulverston Community Enterprises – the organisation that manages The Coro – said: “We’re delighted to begin welcoming audiences back to The Coro with this amazing programme celebrating the planet we call home.

"We believe we have an important part to play in Ulverston’s recovery from the pandemic and hope eye-catching and accessible events like Gaia will not only draw holidaymakers and visitors back to our Hall, but encourage patronage of our local shops and businesses.”

Provided there are no further setbacks in the country’s battle against Covid-19, The Coro’s reopening roadmap includes the return of a light professional performance programme in the autumn; a traditional festive offering in December; and a full reopening from January 2022, including the return of performances from local community groups.

“There’s no denying that The Coro has endured a difficult 17 months since the outbreak of Covid-19," Ms Kennedy continued.

"Which means (like many other arts venues across the country) we’re not in a position to return to pre-pandemic levels of activity straight away.

"We need a little time to rebuild our staff, infrastructure, and finances in a sustainable way. But we’re hoping to repay the support, patience, and generosity of our local community by gradually rebuilding a full programme of events both for and by the people of Ulverston. Our late-summer programme is just the first step on this path – but a significant and symbolic one.”