Trafalgar Entertainment acquires HQ Theatres

Published: 31 March 2021
Reporter: Steve Orme

Dame Rosemary Squire and Sir Howard Panter, joint chief executives of Trafalgar Entertainment

Trafalgar Entertainment, the group headed by Dame Rosemary Squire and Sir Howard Panter, has acquired HQ Theatres, which operates 11 regional UK venues, for an undisclosed amount.

HQ was part of Nick Thomas’s Qdos Entertainment Group. Its venues include Southend Cliffs Pavilion, Guildford’s G Live, Bromley’s Churchill Theatre and the Orchard Theatre, Dartford.

Its leadership team including chief executive Julian Russell, operating officer Alvin Hargreaves and group marketing director Chris McGuigan will continue to be responsible for the day-to-day operation of the company.

Trafalgar Entertainment was founded by Panter and Squire in 2017. It owns and operates London’s Trafalgar Theatre which will reopen after a major refurbishment with the Four Seasons musical Jersey Boys in summer 2021 and will open Australia’s Theatre Royal Sydney in September.

Trafalgar Entertainment is also home to Trafalgar Theatre Productions, Jonathan Church Theatre Productions, live-streaming distributor Trafalgar Leasing, Stagecoach Performing Arts and ticket agency London Theatre Direct.

Dame Rosemary Squire, joint chief executive of Trafalgar Entertainment, said, “HQ Theatres is a fantastic business and we’re thrilled to be partnering with them for the future.

“Our aim is to add value and investment through Trafalgar Entertainment to their portfolio of venues to accelerate growth and to build the business. But of course HQ will continue to do what it does best: offering a premium live theatre and entertainment experience to theatregoers up and down the country.”

Nick Thomas MBE, chairman and founder of the Qdos Entertainment Group, said, “my team and I built HQ from small beginnings to be a major player in the UK theatre and live entertainment sector.

“I’m delighted that the journey will continue for the team through this collaboration with Trafalgar Entertainment.”

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