The Roses Theatre

What The Roses Theatre does

The Roses Theatre (legally Roses Theatre Trust, registered charity No. 1051708, company No. 3133142) is an independent, community-rooted performing arts venue in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, founded in 1975 and operating continuously for 50 years. The venue comprises a 367-seat main auditorium, a 20-seat studio, an upstairs bar seating up to 75, and The Roses Kitchen on-site restaurant and bar. It runs 500+ events annually spanning touring live theatre, self-produced pantomime, music, comedy, dance, cinema (including Royal Ballet, MET Opera, and NT Live event cinema), the summer Garden Festival, dementia-friendly screenings, and the Roses Young Creatives (RYC) youth theatre programme. Unlike the majority of UK regional theatres, The Roses operates without core funding from Arts Council England or local government.

The Roses monetises through a diversified revenue stack: transactional ticket sales (with concessions for under-3s, 16–25s, schools groups, and Universal Credit recipients), on-site F&B at The Roses Kitchen, a seven-tier membership/patron programme (Subscriber £20/year to Creative Circle £1,000/year), venue hire, gift vouchers, and donation/fundraising campaigns including 'Made for You by The Roses'. Distribution is omnichannel via the Spektrix box-office platform (online, phone, in-person), with marketing across social media, email newsletters, seasonal brochures, and earned media. The venue reported a £1.40 local economic multiplier per £1 of ticket spend and that 80% of ticket income supports performing artists.

Governance sits with a board led by Artistic Director & CEO Derek Bond, supported by trust/foundation funding (Arts Council England, BFI, National Heritage Fund, Historic England, Theatre Trust, Barnwood Trust, Gloucestershire County Council, Tewkesbury Borough Council) and a network of corporate Business Patrons (Tewkesbury Park, TewkesburyCoWorking, Spectrum-IT, Kelland Financial Planning, among others). The 2026 So Glos Entertainment Venue of the Year award coincided with the 50th anniversary and the launch of a strategic partnership with the Tewkesbury Medieval Festival. Technology infrastructure is limited to the standard Spektrix ticketing/CRM platform with no proprietary systems, APIs, or AI capabilities disclosed.

Name

The Roses Theatre

Legal name

Roses Theatre Trust

Website

https://rosestheatre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Roses Theatre is an independent, 50-year-old charity-run arts venue in Tewkesbury operating a 367-seat auditorium, 20-seat studio, and on-site restaurant, delivering 500+ live theatre, cinema, and community events annually without Arts Council core funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue and Community Cinema

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)

Keywords

• Live theatre performances
• Cinema screenings
• Event cinema broadcasts
• Venue hire services
• Youth theatre programmes

Headquarters

HQ city

Tewkesbury

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from live theatre performances, cinema screenings, and event cinema. The theatre sells tickets across multiple price bands (adults, 16-25s, concessions, families, 3-15s, schools & groups) with 80% of ticket income supporting artists and sustaining charitable work.
2. Food & Beverage (The Roses Kitchen): On-site catering and bar services offering charcuterie boards, pizzas, small plates, drinks menu including wines, real ales, ciders, and non-alcoholic options. Friends receive 10% discount at The Roses Kitchen.
3. Memberships & Subscriptions: Multiple tiers: Friends (£50/year or £4.17/month), Front Row Patron (£150/year), Centre Stage Patron (£275/year), Spotlight Patron (£500/year), Creative Circle (£1,000/year), Business Patron (£500/year), and Subscriber (£20/year). Members receive discounts, priority booking, free ticket exchange, and recognition.
4. Donations & Fundraising: The theatre is an independent charity without core funding from Arts Council England or local government. It relies on donations through campaigns (Made for You by The Roses), one-off donations, and legacy giving to support youth theatre, community programmes, and self-produced work.
5. Venue Hire: The 367-seat auditorium, 20-seat studio, and upstairs bar (up to 75 seats) are available to hire for events, parties, and meetings, generating hire revenue from external organisations.
6. Gift Vouchers: Gift vouchers sold online and through box office, providing flexible pre-paid tickets that can be redeemed against any event.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Roses Theatre operates a 367-seat auditorium and 20-seat studio in Tewkesbury, presenting a year-round programme of live theatre, cinema, event cinema (Royal Ballet, MET Opera, NT Live), comedy, music, dance, and an annual self-produced pantomime. It runs the Roses Young Creatives youth theatre, The Roses Kitchen restaurant and bar, venue hire for events, and a multi-tier Friends and Patrons membership programme, complemented by donations and community participation groups.

Product overview

The Roses Theatre is an independent arts centre operating as a single unified venue offering live theatre performances, cinema screenings (including Royal Ballet, Opera, and NT Live event cinema), and food service through The Roses Kitchen. The venue provides venue hire facilities and operates membership programs (Friends and Patron tiers) with various benefit levels. Community engagement includes youth theatre programs through Roses Young Creatives (RYC), seasonal events like The Garden Festival, and creative health initiatives. The theatre does not operate as a platform with modular add-ons but rather as a traditional performing arts venue with integrated ancillary services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Theatre & Cinema Programme

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of ticket income directly supports artists performing on stage
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• TewkesburyCoWorkingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness Patron of The Roses Theatre, providing corporate sponsorship support in exchange for recognition in quarterly brochures and pantomime programme.
• Tewkesbury ParkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness Patron of The Roses Theatre, offering corporate hospitality and venue sponsorship benefits.
• Spectrum-IT ConsultancyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness Patron of The Roses Theatre providing IT sponsorship and recognition in theatre marketing materials.
• Meg Anderson PhotographyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness Patron providing photography sponsorship to The Roses Theatre.
• Sonicbond PublishingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness Patron of The Roses Theatre.
• Jack BoskettminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness Patron of The Roses Theatre.
• Kelland Financial PlanningminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness Patron of The Roses Theatre.
• Caffe e VinominorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness Patron of The Roses Theatre, providing local café/restaurant sponsorship.
• Risk RewardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness Patron of The Roses Theatre.
• Theocsbury FinancialminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness Patron of The Roses Theatre.
• KISS Financial ServicesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness Patron of The Roses Theatre.
• Abbey GalleriesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness Patron of The Roses Theatre (The Gallery Pershore).
• Tipu SultanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness Patron of The Roses Theatre.
• Rain or Shine Theatre CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPerforming company engaged for Garden Festival Day One, performing The Pickwick Papers. Represents touring theatre company performing at The Roses.
• Jenny Wren ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPerforming company engaged for Garden Festival Day Two, performing Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Governor's Nose.
• Paperback TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPerforming company engaged for Garden Festival Day Three, performing The Railway Children.
• Tewkesbury Nature ReserveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal charity partner leading nature activities for children during the Garden Festival.
• Art ShapeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal arts charity leading creative workshops during Garden Festival events.
• Tewkesbury Medieval FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Roses is partnering with Tewkesbury's long-standing Medieval Festival to revive the town centre parade in 2026. The Roses is contributing theatrical expertise to bring medieval pageantry back to the town centre, with Mikki Hache as one of the festival's directors. This is described as a flagship community partnership for the theatre.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Storyhouse: Chester-based independent arts centre combining a theatre, cinema, library, and community programmes. Closest peer to The Roses: similar charity governance, mixed theatre/cinema model, strong community-engagement programming, and a comparable scale of venue (800-seat theatre + cinema).
• Tobacco Factory Theatres: Bristol-based independent producing theatre with a 250-seat main house and 85-seat studio. Comparable as an independent, non-ACE-NPO-anchored regional theatre with a producing arm and a community-facing identity in a regional English city.
• The Core at Corby Cube: Corby's multi-purpose arts venue combining a 432-seat theatre, 100-seat studio, and cinema. Comparable model: regional town venue combining theatre + cinema + community programmes in a small catchment without major ACE core funding.
• Malvern Theatres: Major regional arts complex in nearby Great Malvern (Worcestershire) with three auditoria (up to 850 seats), cinema and exhibition spaces. Directly comparable regional arts centre geographically near Tewkesbury, competing for the same Gloucestershire/Worcestershire audience catchment.
• The Barn Theatre: Small (140-seat) independent producing theatre in Oxted, Surrey, producing its own musicals and family shows. Comparable as a small independent venue with a self-producing identity, reliant on earned income and donations rather than core ACE funding.
• Curve Theatre Leicester: Leicester's 870-seat producing theatre with a 350-seat studio and extensive community/youth programmes. Comparable as a large regional producing venue with substantial community outreach, though at significantly greater scale.
• Royal & Derngate Northampton: Northampton's principal arts complex with two auditoria (1,400 and 72 seats), a 165-seat studio and an Underground cinema bar. Comparable mixed-genre regional arts venue combining producing, receiving, cinema and community programmes under one roof.
• Rose Theatre Kingston: Kingston-upon-Thames' principal 900-seat producing theatre with studio and education programmes. Comparable as a mid-sized regional producing theatre with a strong youth/community engagement arm, though larger in scale.
• CAST (Doncaster): Doncaster's principal performing arts venue operating a 600-seat theatre plus a cinema screen, bar and education programmes. Directly comparable mix of live theatre, cinema, community and venue-hire revenue under one roof in a regional English town.
• Everyman Theatre Cheltenham: Cheltenham's 658-seat receiving/producing theatre and the closest large-scale arts venue to The Roses. Comparable regional theatre serving the same Gloucestershire audience base and operating a similar producing/receiving mix with strong community programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/TheRosesTheatreTewkesbury
• Facebookfacebook.com/RosesTheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-roses-theatre-trust
• Instagraminstagram.com/the.roses.theatre
• TikToktiktok.com/@rosestheatre
• Xx.com/RosesTheatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 The Roses Theatre