Venues for festival 2009
The Maltings Theatre & Arts Centre 
The Maltings Theatre & Arts Centre is the premier performing and media arts venue for north Northumberland and the Scottish Borders. Housed within a landmark, purpose-built building in the centre of the historic market town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, The Maltings offers a full programme that mixes world-class professional performance and film with community-centred activities and amateur events. At the heart of the building is a beautiful 325 seat Main House theatre with proscenium arch stage, superb sight-lines from stalls, circle and boxes, and associated back-stage facilities.
Gymnasium Gallery, Town Walls 
Berwick Barracks was built in 1717 to house the town’s garrison. The Gymnasium was added to the complex in 1901. It was built not only to maintain fitness, but as a recreational facility to keep the soldiers occupied and keep them out of the local hostelries. It retains many of its original features and is now a contemporary art gallery and venue for the Berwick Gymnasium Fellowship.
Bankhill Ice House 
Bankhill Ice House was one of several built in Berwick in the early eighteenth century. The blocks of ice were carefully stored in layers with sawdust laid between the blocks to prevent them from freezing into a solid mass. Without this facility, much of eighteenth century Berwick’s wealth may not have been created. The ice was used for packing fish, particularly salmon, in crates to be transported to London. The Ice House was still being used in the 1930s, and was designated an air raid shelter during WW II.
Prison Cells, Town Hall 
The Town Hall Prison Cells occupy the tower of the Town Hall, completed in 1761 and in use until 1849. The first cell on the right was built for high risk prisoners: the walls and floor incorporate iron bars. The second room was for women, and the third cell was for short-term prisoners, mostly sailors and soldiers of the garrison. Opposite is the drunkards’ cell with a sloping bed to drain bodily fluids. The condemned cell was last occupied by Grace Griffin who was hanged in 1823.
