The Palace Theatre Watford Limited

Analysis

The Palace Theatre Watford Limited is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Watford. It was registered in July 1996, 30 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 03218719). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Palace Theatre Watford Limited reported income of £3.3m and spending of £3.5m, spending 105% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £2.1m to £3.3m (+60%), an average of +12% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2025, when income rose by 32%. Over the whole period it spent 104% of the income it received.

Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, The Palace Theatre Watford Limited sits at the 98th percentile: it is larger than about 98% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 97th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (£3.3m), Camden Arts Centre (£3.3m) and Shakespeare North Trust (£3.3m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 70%, trading 8.3%, investments 1.1% and donations and legacies 1.0%. Charitable activities took 100% of spending and raising funds 0.0%. Reserves of £250k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 59 people.

Data notes from the register: The latest annual return was received after its deadline. Spending has exceeded income in each of the last three reported years, so the charity has been drawing on reserves or other funds.