Arts Guild Theatre

The Beacon Arts Centre stands on Greenock’s waterfront at Custom House Quay, replacing the old Arts Guild Theatre on Campbell Street. It occupies reclaimed land beside the East India Harbour, between the Custom House and the river. The site once held a 19th-century harbourmasters’ office and ship repair yards cleared in the 1990s. LDN Architects designed the building to fit its waterside setting, using modern materials while keeping an open and welcoming form. The centre includes the Main Auditorium, The Studio theatre, a Gallery Suite and a Cafe & Bar with full-height windows. The new centre is run by Greenock Arts Guild, a charity founded in 1946 to promote local arts. Funding came from Inverclyde Council, Riverside Inverclyde, Creative Scotland and other partners. The Earl of Wessex announced the name ‘The Beacon’ in 2010 during a visit to the Custom House. In 2013 the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland awarded the building one of its annual prizes, praising its fit with the harbour surroundings. Visitors find a Main Auditorium with 454 seats on two levels, plus The Studio with 80 places. The Gallery Suite hosts exhibitions and can host meetings or rehearsals. The Cafe & Bar looks out over the River Clyde and Firth of Clyde towards hills in Dunbartonshire and Argyll. The building’s design keeps the focus on performance while serving as a community space for Inverclyde.