The New Vic Theatre, located in Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire, was built in 1986 as Europe’s first purpose-built theatre in-the-round. Each year the theatre produces 8 to 9 inhouse shows – including contemporary drama, new commissions, innovative adaptations and accessible classics; tours work across the UK and beyond, with recent productions appearing on Broadway and in the West End, welcome 180,000 people through their doors and invite over 20,000 people a year to take part in their award-winning community and education programmes.
We have worked with the New Vic Theatre for a number of years, during which time we have delivered a phone system, subsequent upgrades and ongoing telecoms support. We also installed digital signage within their box office and throughout their Front of House areas.
With this established working relationship in place, we were delighted to be appointed as their IT support provider. Most recently we have managed their server migration to the cloud.
The New Vic Theatre relied on ageing on-premises infrastructure that was becoming increasingly difficult to support and presented a growing risk of hardware failure, operational disruption and cyberattack. Remote access to key finance applications was also unreliable, while elements of the network had reached end of life.
We recommended a migration to a cloud-based server to provide greater resilience, flexibility and security.
This project focused on reducing operational and cyber risk, replacing outdated systems, improving resilience and aligning the organisation with recognised security best practices.
Our IT team carried out a full assessment of the existing server, applications and data requirements, before planning the migration.
The project included:
• Cloud Migration & Data Modernisation. Migration of files from legacy hardware into secure cloud platforms, reducing reliance on ageing infrastructure and improving accessibility.
• Modern Remote Working & Finance Systems. Implementation of a Remote Desktop solution for Sage 50 Payroll and Accounts, eliminating VPN issues and improving reliability.
• Business Continuity Enhancement. Installation of 5G failover to ensure continued operations during connectivity outages.
• Network Infrastructure Modernisation. Replacement of end-of-life wireless access points, network switches and firewall infrastructure with modern, centrally managed technology.
• Network Security Improvements. Introduction of VLANs for network segmentation, reducing cyber risk and improving security control.
• Infrastructure Improvements. Tidying and reorganisation of the data cabinet to improve reliability and maintainability.
• Cyber Security Accreditation. Achievement of Cyber Essentials certification, validating security controls and reducing risk exposure.
• Device Modernisation. Retirement of Windows 10 devices and upgrade to Windows 11, ensuring continued support and improved security.
To further strengthen the theatre’s cyber security posture, we also implemented Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) technology across the new server, providing enhanced protection against modern cyber threats.
The migration was completed successfully with minimal disruption, ensuring staff could continue to access the systems and data they rely on every day.
The New Vic Theatre now benefits from a modern, secure and scalable cloud-based infrastructure that supports both its day to day operations and future needs.
By removing reliance on ageing on-premises hardware, the theatre has reduced the risk of server failure, improved business continuity and gained greater flexibility for remote access and ongoing system management.
The organisation has successfully transitioned from a legacy, higher risk IT environment to a modern, supported and significantly more secure platform.
Combined with ongoing IT support and advanced cyber security solutions including Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), the organisation can focus on delivering outstanding experiences for audiences, confident that its technology is secure, reliable and fully supported.
