Storyhouse

What Storyhouse does

Storyhouse is a registered charity (no. 1121007) operating as a multi-venue cultural centre in Chester, United Kingdom, founded in 2016. Under one roof at Hunter Street (CH1 2AR), it runs two indoor theatres, a boutique independent cinema, a public library with the longest opening hours of any UK library (open 8am–11pm daily), and a restaurant called The Kitchen. During summer it adds an eight-week outdoor season at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre, encompassing the Moonlight Flicks open-air cinema, comedy, music, and family programming. Beyond ticketed entertainment, Storyhouse operates community groups, volunteer programs, young creatives initiatives, the Skills Studio career-readiness program, a schools program, a Chester Filmmakers community group, and the Reel Talk film club.

The technology stack is non-proprietary: Storyhouse is primarily a physical venue and charity rather than a software or platform business. Its distribution runs through direct-to-consumer channels — the storyhouse.com booking website, phone booking (01244 409 113), walk-in visitors, and a schools/groups contact route ([email protected]). There are no disclosed apps, APIs, SDKs, or AI/ML capabilities in the source data.

Revenue is generated across six streams: ticket sales (transaction-based across theatre, cinema, outdoor events, and touring productions such as Jane Eyre, Blood Brothers, The Choir of Man, The Rocky Horror Show, and Peppa Pig's Big Family Show); membership subscriptions (Standard at £6/month or £69/year; House Membership at minimum £10/month donation; free Young Storyhouse Card for ages 16–25); food and beverage (The Kitchen restaurant, on-site bars, pre-orderable wood-fired pizzas and grazing boxes); space hire (meetings, parties, weddings); gift vouchers (12-month validity); and charitable donations from supporters and corporate partners. Strategic direction is supported by co-production partnerships with regional theatres (Mercury Theatre Colchester, Rose Theatre Kingston, Northern Stage, Shakespeare North Playhouse, Theatre by the Lake) and, as of April 2026, a screenwriting festival partnership with Element Pictures, Screen Ireland, and Fremantle.

Name

Storyhouse

Legal name

UK Storyhouse Limited

Website

https://storyhouse.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Storyhouse is a registered charity operating a multi-venue cultural centre in Chester, UK, combining two theatres, an independent cinema, a public library, and a restaurant. It serves Chester-area audiences with ticketed entertainment, outdoor summer programming, membership subscriptions, community groups, and youth education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts and Cultural Centre

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Purpose Event Halls & Community Centers (THAHAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Venue & Facility Reservations (Private Rooms, Event Spaces) (HSACALAJ), Live Music Venues & Concert Bars (THAFAEAD)

Keywords

• Live theatre productions
• Independent cinema screenings
• Outdoor open-air theatre
• Arts centre and library
• Cultural venue events

Headquarters

HQ city

Chester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from theatre productions, cinema screenings, outdoor events (Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre), and special performances including touring shows, co-productions, and family entertainment.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Monthly and annual membership programs offering discounted tickets, priority booking, free exchanges, and food/drink discounts. Standard membership at £6/month or £69/year. House Membership at higher donation levels.
3. Food and Beverage: On-site restaurant (The Kitchen), bars serving craft beers, cocktails, wine, and pre-orderable food items for events including wood-fired pizzas and grazing boxes.
4. Space Hire: Revenue from hiring unique indoor and outdoor spaces for meetings, parties, and weddings.
5. Gift Vouchers: Gift vouchers valid for 12 months for tickets to shows, films, events at Storyhouse, Moonlight Flicks, and Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre.
6. Charitable Donations: Donations from supporters and corporate partners to support the charity's mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Storyhouse is a registered charity operating a multi-venue cultural centre in Chester combining a public library (with the longest UK opening hours), two indoor theatres, an independent boutique cinema, and a restaurant (The Kitchen), alongside a seasonal eight-week outdoor programme at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre. Revenue is generated primarily through ticket sales for theatre, cinema and outdoor events, subscription-based memberships, food and beverage, gift vouchers, and space hire, supplemented by charitable donations and corporate partnerships.

Product overview

Storyhouse is a not-for-profit charity operating a multi-venue cultural centre in Chester, UK. The offering is a unified platform of entertainment and community services combining physical venues (Theatre, Cinema, Library, The Kitchen restaurant) with seasonal programs (Moonlight Flicks outdoor cinema, Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre). Additional offerings include membership programs (Standard, House, and Young Storyhouse Card), venue hire, community groups, young people's programs (Young Creatives, Skills Studio), and educational initiatives (Schools program). The organisation also operates food and beverage services including wood-fired pizzas and pre-orderable grazing boxes for events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Storyhouse Theatres Two-theatre venue hosting music, dance, plays, and musicals with productions ranging from touring West End shows to co-productions with other regional theatres; aimed at general audiences and theatregoers in Chester.
• Storyhouse Cinema Boutique independent cinema offering new release films from independent and international filmmakers, big-screen blockbusters, cult classics, family favourites, and documentaries; serves local cinema audiences in Chester.
• Storyhouse Library Public library with the longest opening hours of any in the UK, offering books, audiobooks, ebooks, free WiFi, and co-working spaces; open to the general public 8am-11pm daily.
• The Kitchen Restaurant and bar located in the heart of Storyhouse offering simple food on a refreshed menu, craft beers, cocktails, and wine; serves venue visitors and walk-in diners.
• Storyhouse In The Park (Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre) Eight-week outdoor theatre festival at Grosvenor Park featuring theatre, film, comedy, music, and family activities, including productions such as Peter Pan, Nell Gwynn, and Murder Mystery.
• Moonlight Flicks Open-air cinema experience at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre featuring outdoor film screenings under the stars with food, drinks, and deckchair hire available.
• Standard Membership Subscription membership at £6/month or £69/year offering 10% off theatre and cinema tickets (up to two per event), 10% off food and drink at The Kitchen, priority booking windows, and free ticket exchanges.
• House Membership Higher-tier subscription membership with a minimum £10 monthly donation, providing standard membership benefits plus additional support for Storyhouse's charitable and community programmes.
• Young Storyhouse Card (YSC) Membership Free membership for ages 16-25 offering £5 cinema tickets any day, 15% off food and drink, free teas and coffees, and discounts on select theatre and gig tickets; expires at age 26.
• Gift Vouchers Gift vouchers valid for 12 months, redeemable for tickets to shows, films, events or gigs at Storyhouse, Moonlight Flicks, and Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre.
• Space Hire Hire of unique indoor or outdoor spaces at Storyhouse for meetings, private parties, and weddings; available to individuals and small organisations.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• Mercury Theatre ColchestercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for Jane Eyre production. Partnership enables shared production costs, expanded touring reach, and collaborative artistic development.
• Rose Theatre KingstoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for Jane Eyre. Partnership enables regional theatre collaboration and shared production resources.
• Northern StagesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation partner for Jane Eyre production, providing artistic support and potential future collaboration opportunities.
• Shakespeare North PlayhousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for Nell Gwynn. Collaborative regional theatre partnership enabling shared production and touring.
• Theatre by the LakesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner for Nell Gwynn. Partnership expands regional theatre network and distribution.
• Balfour WinesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWine supplier for events at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre. Pre-order wines available for Moonlight Flicks, Murder Mystery, Comedy Nights, and Nell Gwynn performances.
• Rooftop Social ClubsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner venue for Moonlight Flicks at Rooftop Social Club screenings. Located at Pepper Street Car Park, Chester. Features multiple food vendors and bars operated by Liquor and Co.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Battersea Arts Centre: London-based community arts centre operating a multi-venue programme of theatre, comedy, and community events, with a similar charity-based, mixed-revenue model to Storyhouse.
• The Lowry: Salford arts centre combining two theatres, a gallery, and participatory programmes; comparable UK regional arts venue with charity status and broad community remit.
• HOME Manchester: Manchester cultural hub combining cinema, theatre, and gallery programming with bar/restaurant — closely mirrors Storyhouse's multi-vertical venue architecture.
• Liverpool Everyman Theatre: Regional producing theatre in the North West of England with co-production partnerships and touring work — geographic and operational overlap with Storyhouse's regional theatre model.
• Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester: Major regional producing theatre in North West England with co-production and education programming; directly comparable to Storyhouse's producing-theatre strategy.
• Warwick Arts Centre: Large UK university-affiliated arts centre offering theatre, cinema, music, comedy, and gallery programming with a wide community remit; direct multi-vertical equivalent of Storyhouse.
• Curve Theatre Leicester: Mid-sized regional theatre in the East Midlands offering producing, touring, and community programming — strong analogue for Storyhouse's producing-and-co-production strategy.
• Shakespeare North Playhouse: Regional theatre partner on Nell Gwynn co-production; operates a single-venue producing model with education and community strands in Merseyside.

Regional players

• Theatr Clwyd: Welsh regional producing theatre serving a comparable North Wales/Cheshire catchment to Storyhouse, with co-productions and education programmes.
• York Theatre Royal: Producing theatre in northern England with co-production credits and education/schools programming analogous to Storyhouse's young creatives and schools offer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/StoryhouseLive
• Facebookfacebook.com/storyhouselive
• Instagraminstagram.com/storyhouselive/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Storyhouse