The Hawth Theatre and Arts Centre

The Hawth is the only permanent cultural centre in Crawley, and provides a varied menu of arts events by local and touring artists, including:

• comedy
• dance
• drama
• music: pop, jazz, folk, classical, opera
• children’s entertainment
• visual arts: films, photography and painting

The Hawth sits in woodland about half a mile east of the town centre, and has parking for 250 cars.

Facilities

• The auditorium contains 855 seats, a stage, and good sound and lighting systems. It is used for concerts, plays and films as well as conferences and exhibitions.
• The studio accommodates up to 146 spectators for small-scale events.
• An outdoor amphitheatre at the rear of the building is used for drama and music in the summer.
• The foyer contains a permanent exhibition space, often used by local artists and photographers.
• a function room for weddings and corporate events is available for hire, and can accommodate up to 100 guests.
• The Hawth also contains a restaurant, a coffee shop and two bars. Lunch is available between mid-day and 2pm Mondays to Fridays, and meals are available from two hours before most evening performances.

The Hawth’s Website

The Hawth’s website is an absolute disgrace. It can be used for booking tickets, but not much else.

The website contains very little useful information, and is so incompetently constructed (visitors without Javascript see only a blank screen!) that it is not accessible to search engines and many human visitors.

Events and Tickets

For a list of forthcoming events at the Hawth, see:

• www.uktw.co.uk/V720/The_Hawth/Crawley/
• www.thestage.co.uk/listings/venue.php/707/hawth-crawley

To buy tickets online, see:

• www.ticketline.co.uk/venue/crawley-the-hawth-theatre
• www.ents24.com/web/venue/Crawley/The-Hawth-4996.html

Contact the Hawth

• Minicom: 01293 539418
• Fax: 01293 533362

Box Office

The Hawth’s box office is open from 10 am to 8.15 pm Monday to Saturday, with reduced hours during part of August.

• Tel: 01293 553636
• Email: box.office@hawth.co.uk

Administration

• Tel: 01293 552941
• Email: info@hawth.co.uk

Press Office

• Tel: 01293 438111
• Email: marketing@hawth.co.uk

Technical Department

• Tel: 01293 552941
• Email: technical@hawth.co.uk

Community Arts

• Tel: 01293 438152
• Email: community.arts@crawley.gov.uk

Hiring Enquiries

Booking for conferences and exhibition space is open from 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday.

• Tel: 01293 552941
• Email: hire@hawth.co.uk

Catering Functions

• Tel: 01293 438155
• Email: catering@hawth.co.uk

Arts Café & Bar

• Tel: 01293 438150
• Email: catering@hawth.co.uk

Detailed Information

Don’t bother going to the Hawth’s website for information. Various PDF documents on the Crawley Borough Council website deal with:

• Technical details of sound, lighting and other systems for theatrical and musical performances.
• A menu for the café.
• Prices, menus and features for conferences.
• Teachers’ packs and newsletters for schools.

History of The Hawth

The theatre opened in 1988, although the first of many unsuccessful proposals to build a theatre in Crawley had been made as long ago as 1964. Incidentally, the name ‘hawth’ is supposed to come from a local pronunciation of the word ‘heath’.

Location and Directions

By Train and Bus

The Hawth is about 10-15 minutes’ walk from both Crawley train station and Three Bridges train station. Buses 4 and 5 run between both stations and the Hawth, as well as the town centre, Langley Green, County Oak and Pound Hill, and are co-ordinated around evening performances. Up-to-date timetables are available on the Metrobus and National Rail websites.

By Road

From the south and west:

1. Join the A23 at Pease Pottage (junction 11 on the M23) and follow the signs to Crawley.
2. At Southgate roundabout (the one containing a large football), take the third exit onto Southgate Avenue.
3. Go straight on until the third set of traffic lights.
4. Take the right-hand lane onto Hawth Avenue. The Hawth is half a mile along on your left.

From the north and east:

1. Join the roundabout where junction 10 of the M23 meets the A264.
2. Follow the signs for Crawley (the third exit from the M23; the second from the A264) onto the A2011, Crawley Avenue.
3. At the first roundabout, take the first exit onto Hazelwick Avenue.
4. Continue straight on at the roundabout by Tesco.
5. At the traffic lights, turn right onto the A2220, Haslett Avenue.
6. At a large roundabout containing a Holiday Inn, take the second exit.
7. Continue over a railway bridge and take the third exit at the roundabout to enter the Hawth.