Keswick\'s new Theatre by the Lake shows the versatility, as well as the beauty, of Cumbria\'s natural stone.

The theatre is roofed with 90 tonnes of Burlington\'s Westmorland Green natural slate in traditional diminishing courses while the 75m2 floor of the entrance hall and bar area uses Burlington\'s honed Broughton Moor natural stone flooring.

The roofscape is simple and practical and with its Westmorland Green roofing slates, particularly over the entrance canopy, it blends perfectly with the view over Derwentwater, one of the lakes of the Lake District whose hills are the source of the famous stone.

Malcolm Hatch, Burlington\'s joint managing director, says: Theatre by the Lake is an excellent example of Burlington\'s ability to supply a range of materials for roofing and flooring. Continuity of design and aesthetics within a theme are important principles and something which Burlington\'s natural stone respects.

Theatre by the Lake was designed by The MEB Partnership and built by Thomas Armstrong Construction and K R Venning Slaters. It has a 400 seat auditorium, 75 seat studio, conference and exhibition facilities, a coffee shop and two licensed bars.

It replaces the 1940s structure of the Blue Box Theatre and being in the heart of the National Park was required to respect the distinctive architectural traditions of Keswick.

The Arts Council of England contributed £4.7million to the cost of the new theatre and the Cumbria Theatre Trust raised £1.5million locally.