THE curtain has gone up on the £13.7m transformation of Darlington Hippodrome into a 1,000-seat venue fit for future generations to enjoy.

And last night the project was described as the “best thing ever to happen to Darlington” by borough council leader Bill Dixon.

Eighteen months after the Grade II listed Darlington Civic Theatre closed for the final time, the building – newly named Darlington Hippodrome – has been transformed to include a three-storey glass atrium, a new box-office and café bar area, as well as a number of displays illustrating the heritage of theatre in Darlington.

Improvements to dressing rooms, offices, circulation space and backstage areas to accommodate larger touring shows have also been carried out.

As the ribbon was cut to mark the start of a new era of entertainment in the town, an emotional Lynda Winstanley, director of the Darlington Hippodrome, confirmed the venue’s diary was filling up as far ahead as 2019.

The building will be open to the public from today, and guests at yesterday’s ribbon cutting ceremony were treated to a performance from the cast of Strictly Musicals 2, who will be the venue’s first performers on Tuesday.

The first full scale production, in time for pantomime season, will be Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which will feature former Blue singer and EastEnders actor Lee Ryan, Pop Idol contestant and West End performer Zoe Birkett, Coronation Street actor Eric Potts and comedian Liam Mellor.

Ms Winstanley said the opening was a “proud day,” a “dream come true” and kept the future of theatre goers “safe for generations to come”.

“The restoration project has seen a tired theatre brought back to life," she said.

“It is now a venue fit for purpose for generations to come and the entire team is looking forward to welcoming audiences back into the venue.

“It has been a joy to see the building take shape with the restoration of the old being complemented by the creation of the new, side by side.

“The thing I look forward to is the first audiences coming in and hearing what the people think about what we have done.

“Some people will question some of the decisions we have made, but it is about making a 20th century building fit into the 21st century.”

To commemorate the opening of the theatre, Virgin Trains revealed it is naming one of its trains Darlington Hippodrome so passengers up and down the country would be aware of the new venue.

Nick Wallis, Darlington Borough Council’s cabinet member for leisure and local environment, said the building was “magnificent”.

“In 2011, there was a real prospect of the theatre being sold off, but it has received some much needed TLC and is now at the heart of Darlington life.

“People want a social hub bustling with life day and night, and the new facilities will enable us to create just that.

“It is like going up a division – before the venue had around 950 seats now it has more than 1,000, so it can compete for bigger productions and West End productions.”

Council leader Bill Dixon added: “The work that has been done is fantastic – I now challenge the people of Darlington to get on board, not only for the theatre at night but the facilities during the day.

“It is the best thing that has ever happened to Darlington.”

Theatre Hullabaloo, a specially designed theatre for young people located next to the Hippodrome, will open in December.

It will include a 150-seat studio theatre, creative play installation space, café area, workshop or rehearsal space, dressing rooms, toilets and external play space.