Council create 'a clean and welcoming' entry to Thameside Complex. Leader talks of 'civic' pride but memories of borough Pride festivals are painted over in monosyllabic gray

By Nub News Reporter 6th Aug 2026

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Local News by Nub News Reporter 1 hour ago

THURROCK Council has begun work on its project to improve the Thameside Complex - and confirmed that the theatre within it is now booking acts until March 2028.

The long term future of the Thameside Complex, and the 300 seat community theatre, has been in doubt for several years, since the Conservative-ran authority announced plans to close it in June 2021.

That decision, ratified at a cabinet meeting in July 2021, sparked the launch of a widespready community campaign to oppose the closure.

Years of debate and changes of direction have followed. At one point it seemed likely a community interest community would be created to take over the running and maintenance of the building - but that fell apart when the council acknowledged interest in a commercially-led approach by a London College Trust to take it over.

Neither scheme has materialised and after the Conservatives were ousted in 2024, Labour promised a more supportive approach to the complex and theatre - but the general view has been that the issue has simply been 'kicked into the long grass' so no-one has to make a controversial decision before the planned union of Thurrock and Basildon Council, planned for 2028.

Basildon has a much larger, two auditorium theatre building, The Towngate, which many expect to become the new south Essex council's arts focal point after local goivernment reorganisation.

The 'Rainbow pavement' has been painted over.

Earlier this week Thurrock Council announced it would be extending bookings at the theatre until 2028. Today (Thursday, 6 August) , it made an additional annoucementt, saying: "Work is underway to create a nicer, cleaner, less cluttered and more welcoming entrance to the Thameside Complex" - and the work carried bout so far has seen the painting over of the Rainbow pavement outside the complex and other LGBTQ+ Pride memorabilia marking the 2024 inaugural Thurrock Pride Festival, which has remained in place over the following two years of staging the event at the Thameside.

The council added: "Initial work has seen the entranceway tidied up by removing cluttered signage and advertisements, clearing and maintaining planted areas, and ensuring the building's lobby is clean and welcoming.

"This is the first stage of wider improvements planned for the Thameside Complex to ensure residents have good access to the building and the services it houses, including the library, theatre and museum."

Reform's council leader Cllr Richard Bingley, who earlier this year enforced a ban on flying the Pride flag on civic buildings, said: "The Thameside Theatre is the cultural heart of the borough and something we are rightly proud of. These improvements are part of work taking place to restore civic pride in the borough, there will be much more to come.

"We want to make sure the Thameside is a friendly and welcoming place for theatregoers, museum visitors and library users.

"The team has already done a fantastic job, and this is only the beginning. Residents will see more and more improvements like this across the borough as we lead the way, making Thurrock a place we can all be proud of."