Colchester Mercury Theatre Limited

Analysis

Colchester Mercury Theatre Limited is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Colchester. It was registered in January 1964, 62 years ago. Its declared purposes cover arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00441035). It says it provides buildings/facilities/open space.

In the financial year ending March 2025, Colchester Mercury Theatre Limited reported income of £5.8m and spending of £5.4m, spending 92% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £2.0m to £5.8m (+185%), an average of +30% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 84%. Over the whole period it spent 98% 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, Colchester Mercury Theatre Limited sits at the 99th percentile: it is larger than about 99% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 98th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Midlands Arts Centre (£5.8m), Hyndburn Leisure (£5.9m) and Worthing Theatres & Museum (£5.8m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 49%, donations and legacies 33% and trading 13%. Charitable activities took 88% of spending and raising funds 11%. Reserves of £385k would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 98 people.