The Mayflower Theatre Trust

Analysis

The Mayflower Theatre Trust is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Southampton. It was registered in June 1986, 40 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 02026445). It says it makes grants to individuals, provides buildings/facilities/open space and provides services.

In the financial year ending March 2025, The Mayflower Theatre Trust reported income of £28.8m and spending of £25.8m, spending 90% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £4.3m to £28.8m (+569%), an average of +61% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2022, when income rose by 289%. Over the whole period it spent 94% 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 Mayflower Theatre Trust sits at the 100th percentile: it is one of the largest 1% in its cause. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 100th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Wales Millennium Centre (£28.1m), The London Symphony Orchestra Limited (£28.8m) and Wessex Archaeology Limited (£27.7m).

In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 89%, trading 7.0% and investments 4.1%. Charitable activities took 97% of spending and raising funds 2.5%. Reserves of £2.0m would cover about 1 months of spending at that rate. It employed 228 people.