John Lupton sold over £600,000 of tickets to gigs and sporting events, but at least £435,000 worth were fraudulent, a court heard today as it sentenced him to 3½ years
news
High-tech virtual reveal for historic UK venue
Ambassador Theatre Group will reveal the Stockton Globe's £28 million redevelopment at a virtual industry showcase this October
By IQ on 25 Sep 2020
An artist's impression of the newly refurbished ATG Stockton Globe
Theatre operator Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) is set to unveil the £28 million restoration of historic north-east England venue, the Stockton Globe (+3,000-cap.).
The refurbishment of ATG’s flagship music and comedy arena, which is due to reopen in 2021, will be revealed at a digital industry showcase, taking place on 22 October.
The showcase will include an access-all-areas tour and presentations, as well as VR performances and filmed contributions revealing some of the music and comedy acts due to perform at the venue in 2021.
ATG has already revealed Paloma Faith as the first show on sale at the Stockton Globe, which is scheduled for 9 October 2021.
“When it became apparent that the restrictions imposed on us all ruled out a live event, we knew we had to do something different and incredibly special to reveal such a historic venue,” says general manager, Jo Ager.
“We cannot thank the artists enough for supporting us with their appearances and contributions to the virtual showcase, and this mirrors our dedication to wholeheartedly supporting every act to perform at Stockton Globe.
“We knew we had to do something different and incredibly special to reveal such a historic venue”
“This is the start of something really special; as we move forward, we will continue to focus on booking the best music, comedy and family performances in the business, and truly bringing the stars back to Stockton.”
Post-refurbishment, the venue will accommodate over 3,000 people in a flexible auditorium suited to standing and seated events. A smaller 250-capacity venue will open in the adjoining building.
The multi-million-pound refurbishment is funded by Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Providence Equity Partners-backed ATG was appointed in May 2018 to operate the Globe on a 25-year management contract.
ATG runs close to 50 venues worldwide, including theatres in London’s West End and on Broadway, and aims to utilise its network to bring music and comedy talent back to the art deco venue for the first time in over 40 years.
Stockton Globe first opened in 1935, playing host to artists including the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, before closing in 1974.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.
