The Christmas panto at a theatre that is scheduled to be closed for a year due to a RAAC discovery has been saved.

Dartford council has confirmed the “show will go on” as it plans to construct and open a £1.5 million state-of-the-art temporary theatre venue in Dartford after the discovery of dangerous concrete in The Orchard Theatre’s roof forced the closure of the venue in September.

Orchard West is scheduled to open in late November as a fully functional, temporary, enclosed performance space with 1,000 seats.

Complete with comfortable seating, heating and cooling systems, access provision and full backstage and front-of-house facilities, including indoor toilets and bars, the venue is being built on a plot of disused land between Hythe Street and Orchard Street near The Stage Door pub.

The landlord of the watering hole was concerned when the initial closure of the theatre was announced.

Paul Lynskey said it could have been “the nail in the coffin” for his pub as the Orchard Theatre’s closure would have seen business slow.

The new temporary venue will be capable of presenting many of the shows originally scheduled at The Orchard over coming months – with more to be added – and the temporary venue will be up and running in time for this year’s glittering pantomime Beauty and the Beast starring soap star, actress and singer Shona McGarty.

A spokesman for the council and Trafalgar Theatres said: “Located on the Westgate site just a stone’s throw from The Orchard Theatre, Orchard West will be a unique and exciting setting for audiences to continue to enjoy live performances in a warm, safe and comfortable environment.

“Crucially, the venue will also support the continuing employment of the theatre team, visiting artists and backstage crew - plus many local businesses in the surrounding area who rely on footfall from theatregoers.”

Dartford council sought bids for the temporary venue project though a competitive procurement process involving four industry specialists.

Responses were received from suppliers who have delivered similar projects around the world such as large-scale theatrical venues and major sporting events.

Two possible locations were considered – the land off Hythe Street, which was the preferred option, and part of the Acacia car park.

The council estimated that in the region of 50 hospitality, leisure and travel and tourism businesses could be affected by the theatre's closure.

The Orchard's annual report for 2022-23 revealed that 215,523 people attended the venue that year, and 60.5% of the tickets were sold to Dartford residents.

The report added: "In the same year the Orchard Theatre generated an economic impact of £4.6m in the local economy, over and above any spend made within the venue itself."

Meanwhile, building work to replace the auditorium roof at the Orchard Theatre is set to begin this month with works expected to be completed in late 2024.

Esquires Coffee Shop owner, Gurjit Randhawa, previously shared his concerns about the hit his business would take as a result of the closure of the theartre.

However, today’s news has delighted him. He said: "It's great news for everyone involved in the high street and everyone involved in the theatre.

The show will carry on. It's amazing."

As opening dates, transferring shows and seat-transfers are being determined over coming days, ticket-holders for future events at The Orchard Theatre are being asked to wait to be contacted by the theatre team who will be in touch with details and options as these become clear.

Pantomime tickets can be booked online, and further information will be posted on the Orchard Theatre website and on social media channels as plans for the new venue are realised.

Cllr Jeremy Kite, leader of Dartford council said: “Our theatre is such an important part of life for so many Dartford residents that when we were forced to close the venue, we were determined to find a way for the show to go on.

“The provision of Orchard West until we can re-open our much-loved venue means that not just our amazing pantomime, but a whole range of productions from local groups right through to the big names and West End performances can continue to light up the cultural life of our town.

“Dartford Borough Council prides itself on putting the needs of residents first and we are proud to have both the determination and the resources to have found a solution to this unforeseen problem.

“Stepping in like this is not the action every Council would take but we cherish arts and culture and urge our residents to support the theatre like never before.”

On Wednesday (October 11) it was announced that the Orchard Theatre has been forced to shut for a year.

It was also revealed that it’s going to cost £7 million to safely reopen the Home Gardens venue.

Helen Enright, CEO of Trafalgar Theatres and COO of Trafalgar Entertainment said: “The Orchard West will be a unique and exciting theatre-going experience for Dartford residents and visitors alike - and we can’t wait to welcome customers back in time for panto!

“We’re certain that audiences will be curious to find out more as details of the new venue and the shows to be presented are released over coming weeks.

“Working with Dartford Borough Council to deliver this project in a short-time frame – and hearing messages of support from thousands of theatregoers over the past few weeks - has cemented our commitment to the cultural life of the town.

“It is enormously encouraging that DBC recognises the importance of local theatre to the whole community and understands the valuable contribution it makes to the local economy.

“Despite the setback of the Orchard Theatre closure council leaders have moved rapidly to protect jobs and businesses and to ensure that the shows will go on.

“We applaud them for their positive spirit and approach to our partnership.

“There is a lot of hard-work to be done by the theatre team between now and opening – and we thank them for their commitment and dedication during this period – which has been superb.”