Blow for UK seaside city as theatre's bar to close - in business for 20 years

A Plymouth theatre has issued a defiant statement after the announcement that a popular food and drink establishment, operating from inside, will close down. The Barbican theatre has insisted it will remain open after B-Bar, a popular noodle restaurant, announced it will stop operating at the end of March “to move onto new projects”.

The bar has been closely associated with live music, comedy and social events at the theatre, becoming a well-known part of the experience for audiences and performers. The venue has been open for twenty years but announced its decision on social media, saying that the decision to close was made with pride in what had been created, rather than sadness. It said: “After two decades of music, comedy and great food, next month will mark the end of an era.”

From April, Barbican Theatre will take the bar operation in-house as part of a planned transition. The theatre said the change would allow it to continue offering refreshments during performances and events, while simplifying the operation.

Bosses at the Barbican Theatre thanked the B-Bar team for their contribution over the years but stressed that they will bring the bar operation in-house as part of a “planned transition”.

But the bar will only be open when there are events in the theatre, meaning it won’t be open during the day.

It will also not be serving food, with theatre bosses saying they can’t compete with the restaurants dotted around the Barbican.

But they will allow theatre patrons to bring takeaway food into the bar and eat it there on show nights and said the “warm, friendly atmosphere remains unchanged”.

They also stressed the transition forms part of the theatre’s ongoing work to strengthen its operations and “ensure a sustainable future for the venue and the communities it serves”.

Claire Honey, head of business development at the Barbican Theatre, said: “We won’t be open outside of when we have events on and won’t have a cafe offer during the day. To start with we won’t have a food offer, just drinks.

“But we will be open if people want to bring a takeaway in, that’s fine. There is a good food offer on the Barbican, we can’t compete with that.”

However, Ms Honey stressed that the theatre’s bar will continue to give acts, including music and comedy, an opportunity to perform and has a mission to support Plymouth talent.

She said: "Our commitment as a charity is to grassroots and local acts. This gives us another catalyst stage for people to do stuff.

“We have every intention to programme that stage with grassroots and local acts.”