How Business Sheffield Helped Sheffield Theatres Save £10,000 a Year with the Low Carbon Grant

At Business Sheffield, we understand how important it is for organisations to reduce their carbon footprint, cut energy costs and operate more sustainably. Through our Low Carbon Grant, we support Sheffield businesses to take practical steps toward energy efficiency, from upgrading lighting and heating to installing greener technologies that help protect the environment and reduce running costs.

One organisation that has benefitted from this support is Sheffield Theatres, the UK’s largest producing theatre complex outside London. Home to four stages in the heart of the city, Sheffield Theatres brings world-class performances to thousands of people each year. But running such a large venue also comes with high energy demands.

“In a theatre, you’re using loads and loads of light all the time,” explains Tom Bird, Chief Executive of Sheffield Theatres. “It’s the tool we use to tell stories. So our energy consumption can be quite high.”

Lighting is essential not only for performances but also for keeping public areas bright, welcoming and safe. Over time, the theatre’s lighting systems had become outdated, with some fittings dating back to the 1970s and early 1990s. The team were determined to modernise and reduce energy use, but upgrading such a large and complex space required significant investment.

Working closely with Sheffield City Council and Business Sheffield, the theatre successfully applied for the Low Carbon Grant, securing £23,000 towards the project, which covered half the cost of replacing outdated lighting in the Lyceum Theatre.

“We received £23,000, which was half the cost of transforming some of the lighting in here,” says Tom. “It got us about 300 new light fittings in the Lyceum Theatre. The carbon savings that we’ve got in here are probably saving us £10,000 a year.”

The upgrade has already had a major impact. With more efficient lighting in its busiest venue, Sheffield Theatres has reduced its carbon footprint and lowered ongoing energy costs, freeing up valuable resources to invest back into productions and creative work.

“It also helps our business model in a broader sense because our core energy costs are coming down,” Tom adds. “So we can invest that money that we would have been spending on our energy bills in the plays and musicals that we do on stage.”

At Business Sheffield, we’re proud to help local organisations like Sheffield Theatres take practical steps toward sustainability. The Low Carbon Grant supports businesses of all kinds to cut energy use, reduce emissions and improve efficiency, from manufacturing and retail to creative and cultural spaces.

The Low Carbon Grant is still open for enquiries. Businesses can use it to fund energy-saving improvements such as lighting upgrades, modern heating systems, solar panels and more. Our Low Carbon Advisors offer free one-to-one support, including energy surveys and access to funding opportunities, to help Sheffield businesses lower costs and reduce their environmental impact.

If your business is looking to save on energy costs or make your operations more sustainable, we can help. Contact businesssheffield@sheffield.gov.uk or call 0114 224 5000 to find out more about the Low Carbon Grant and the free support available.