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13 August 08 the carpets are in... and we soon will be too!
There have been so many changes since the last blog entry!
There are carpets, tiles, lights, doors, sprung dance floors, the kitchen's fully installed. There's just some office furniture and some theatre equipment left to fit.
It's really nearly finished and we move in next week!
Lisa Mallaghan, Capital Project Manager
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18 June 08 the cables are in...
The lighting grid is nearly finished now, and looks fantastic against the deep red of the ceiling.
Much of the plaster work is finished, and areas are becoming recognizable as what they will be.
Hundreds of cables emerge from walls to remind us of the high-tec nature of the building. I only hope we can work out what they all do!
David Praties, Production Manager
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24 May 08 what more could busy theatre people need?
What an exciting new building - such wonderful spaces...
I am so full of awe and wonder that you have managed to pull off one of the best buildings for a theatre group that I have seen.
Three spaces for work!
Sue Harrison, Consultant
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20 May 08 the old and the new...
I really enjoyed looking round the new Mind the Gap development at Lister Mills...
What a fantastic setting for what promises to be an exciting addition to the cultural life of the north west and indeed the nation!!
Can't wait for it to open!
Gus Garside, National Arts Development Manager, Mencap
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24 April 08 the old and the new...
I had to smile as I arrived on site and was presented with a high-vis jacket with the logo on the back - they never miss a merchandising opportunity!
I last saw the space in 2006 as production manager for the Phoenix show.
I couldn't imagine the space would be big enough for all the new plans but it is amazing how spacious it feels.
There clearly has been a lot of thought gone into the designs and the workmanship looks great.
A fitting new home for the company.
Ben Pugh, former MTG Production Manager
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16 April 08 Breakthrough!
Work on our new home is moving along so quickly it's difficult to keep up. We were on site with sledgehammers this week, breaking down the wall to make our new front door.
This was an important moment in the building project, finishing some of the major structural work and making the building feel more 'real' - we've got a front door to walk through!
Alison Morris, Marketing and Programming Officer
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10 April 08 the Architect's impressions
We're now at a stage where virtually all the internal walls are complete, and you can see the form of the studios. You get the idea of the views through the building, and the size and feel of the spaces.
It's looking as exciting as we planned. I'm looking forward to getting the finishes in and seeing the spaces finally being used.
Robert Finch, Allen Tod Architects
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26 March 08 Jack meets Bob
Hi I’m Jack Wheeler (Tim’s son) and today I went to the new Mind the Gap building and met Bob the builder and his digger scoop. How cool is that! I can’t wait to see what it will look like next holiday.
Jack Wheeler, honorary Gapper, Easter 2008
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18 March 08 Friends of Mind the Gap visit
The building is beautiful and I’m sure will be uplifting to work in – it felt light, spacious, well laid out and it looks as though it will have all the facilities that any self respecting theatre company might need.
The architecture is fantastic, all that exposed brickwork and the shapes of the three studios – let’s do some work together so that we can come and enjoy it too!!!!
Maggie McEwan, Full Body and the Voice
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13 March 08 as the Kaiser Chiefs once said...
...I can't believe it! The builders have done so much - we stood in our office spaces on the top floor today, and looked into each of the studios.
Our New Home looks amazing. It started as a big empty box, and you needed lots of imagination and people waving their arms around to work out what would go where.
Now you can see all the rooms, it looks human-sized, not giant, and imagining is much easier!
Alison Morris, Marketing & Programming Officer
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14 Feb 08 so it's not just a series of boxes?
It was really exciting to see the space with walls and room-like shapes in it... I particularly like the curved walls, they look really arty!
Vicky Ackroyd, Director of Learning and Skills, who declined to be photographed in a hard hat :)
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14 Feb 08 Loving the new spaces
Tim Wheeler and Bob the builder showed me round the site. It was fantastic to see the walls going up and the plans becoming concrete.
Standing in Studio one was really exciting. It’s going to be huuuuugggggeeee! I just can’t wait for us to get in there and make some theatre now
Rio Ellis, Assistant Theatre Director, doing her best to look both radiant and glamourous in a hard hat and high-vis vest...
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12 Feb 08 Making Theatre visit the site
I went with some of the Making Theatre team to have a look at the new building and talk about the new facilities that we will have.
It was really exciting to see how fast the building is taking shape and starting to get a feel for the size of the rooms (which are huge!) and what it will be like to work there.
Lisa Mallaghan, Projects Administrator
You can see how it's all set out already, and they have started to make the floor for the offices upstairs.
It's exciting - I can't wait to be in the new building, especially the dance space.
Fizz Bagley, Making Theatre
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7 Feb 08 Production Manager visits the site
The empty space I saw a few weeks ago has suddenly started to look like the building we have dreamed of for so long.
I walked round the ground floor, whose walls are now in place, and was amazed at the size. It’s bigger than I imagined.
The builders report that all is going to plan and to time. We really will be in soon!!
Dave Praties, Production Manager
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28 Jan 08 burying a talisman
Anna and Alan, actors with Mind the Gap, visit the site, and lay the Pied Piper doll to rest.
This closes a chapter in Mind the Gap's history, but keeps old characters watching over our future.
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24 Jan 08 we're officially on site!
Everyone at Mind the Gap is delighted that building work has got under way.
Every day that the builders are working on our project means we are a day closer to moving to our purpose-built rehearsal studios.
We hope to be fully moved in to our new home this autumn, and will immediately start developing new work to tour nationally in Spring 2009.
Tim Wheeler, Artistic Director
At Lister Mills we will have everything we need. It’s exciting to think about having a rehearsal studio and technical box to learn about making theatre with.
Jonathan Ide , Making Theatre student
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21 Jan 08 the hard hats arrive
Tim and Julia got very excited today when the boxes of safety gear arrived at the office.
They put the hats and high-viz vests on straight away and didn't take them off until they thought perhaps they looked a bit funny in the office.
We are looking forward to getting on site to see what's been happening in our new home!
Alison Morris, Marketing & Programming Officer
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