Originally the St James’ Picture House, the original Westminster Theatre building was opened in 1923 on the site of the Charlotte Chapel, which was erected in 1766.
In 1931, the venue was transformed into a theatre, with a capacity for more than 1,500. Despite the efforts of Save London Theatres Campaign, Westminster City Council granted permission for developers to demolish it in 2001 and the theatre closed in 2002, after being destroyed by a fire.
There have been a number of plans to resurrect a theatre on the Palace Street site. Talawa’s £9.3 million Westminster Theatre Project to establish the first major black-led arts institution in central London, failed in 2005 after the Arts Council withdrew £4 million capital funding.
When the opportunity came up to develop a theatre on the site of 12 Palace Street, St. James’ Creative Director Robert Mackintosh said he was immediately interested as it offered the possibility of developing a new venue from scratch. As soon as the possibility of acquiring the building became a reality, he started to develop his vision, building on his experience of successful small venues and adding ideas of his own. As it turned out the building contained more than Robert had hoped for; with not only a main theatre but also a studio to give the best flexibility and ensuring the St. James Theatre complex is a destination for all live entertainment.
Its location in SW1 alongside Buckingham Palace offers visitors the chance to step away from the crowded pavements of the West End and take sanctuary in the peaceful neighbourhood of the modern St James Theatre. It features a 312 seat theatre and a 100 seat studio theatre and a brasserie and lobby bar offering delicious food, fine wines and cocktails.
PBC were originally instructed in 2007 by Close Property Finance to provide Contract Appraisal and Monitoring for the re-start of this project and then were subsequently retained throughout the various development and fitting out phases. The development was completed and the theatre opened in September 2012.
