THE Church Commissioners have agreed to lease a 36,000 sq. ft. warehouse in South Bermondsey, London, to the National Theatre, which plans to use the space to use and recycle its costumes, props, and scenery.
The Commissioners bought the warehouse in the 1980s, to be used as the Church of England Record Centre. For decades, the building housed the archives of the Commissioners, the General Synod and its predecessors, and other C of E bodies. In 2020, the archives moved to the newly renovated Lambeth Palace Library (News, 19 March 2021).
The asset manager at the Commissioners, James Parker, said: “This warehouse has a historical significance for us. We’re pleased to secure an innovative new future for the site by helping the National Theatre to reuse and recycle its props, costumes, and scenery — bringing them under one roof for the first time.”
A 15-year lease was agreed because substantial works were required from both the Commissioners and the National Theatre.
The National Theatre has leased the space as part of its new large-scale sustainability initiative, bringing together costumes, props, and recyclable scenery under one roof to encourage reuse and reduce its carbon footprint. The site was chosen because of its short distance from the theatre company’s South Bank location, where it has been since 1976.
A spokesman for the National Theatre said: “We’re delighted to have found such an ideal home for our production resources in Bermondsey. This new space will unlock so much potential in terms of sustainable theatre practice, not just for the National Theatre but we hope for the industry as a whole.”
As for all its new commercial lettings, the Commissioners have agreed a green lease with the National Theatre: this includes requirements on data-sharing and a focus on energy and waste consumption, as well as minimum refurbishment standards, for example the use of green energy supplies. An electricity infrastructure has been facilitated by the Commissioners so that the National Theatre can install electric-vehicle chargers on site.
The National Theatre spokesman continued: “As a sector, we all need more efficient management and usage of our existing resources if we are to achieve the circular economy that a net zero carbon future demands. This is the first step on this exciting journey that supports our ambitions to be environmentally and economically sustainable, putting reusing and recycling at the heart of our work.
“The green lease agreed with the Church Commissioners further matches our ambitions, and we look forward to this next chapter.”