Yvonne Arnaud Theatre

The building is said to be haunted by front of house manager "Jonty" who was told that he would die before he reached his forthieth birthday; the prophesy wasn't quite accurate - he died two weeks after his 40th. Soon after, people talked of footsteps right behind them, and of newly locked padlocks being rattled.

Update: 10/3/20: Staff member Liza Cheal informs me that, "We have quite a few alleged ghosts attached to our business - one in the relatively modern 1960’s build Main theatre; a front of house manager who died in the 1970’s with a good story to him, and who most definitely still walks our backstage areas having been heard doing his nightly lock up round only a few months ago...As backstage technicians work during the night sometimes, there are many accounts from both buildings." In subsequent emails, Liza confirmed the story of "Jonty" and how one staff member in 1995, "crew started to tell how, whilst they were working on an overnight paint call or a similar solitary shift, they would suddenly hear footsteps crossing the stage right wing and going down the back corridor – and when they looked to see who would come out of the corridor at the stage door end no one ever appeared. This seemed to happen at around 2am. This was before the theatre had security guards and after many such reports we decided that Jonty was completing his final lock up walk. As recent as a month ago, several of the crew were sitting in the stage left wing, after a show de rig, when they felt a sudden drop in temperature and they heard the sound of the footsteps – so I guess he is still making his final walk – I think he is a supportive ghost of our theatre."

Website