Celebrity couple turn former Lincoln ballroom into theatre school

A celebrity couple living in Lincoln have expanded their local theatre school by taking over a former city ballroom building.

Sarah-Jane Honeywell, former CBeebies presenter and current host on BBC Radio Lincolnshire, has leased 14 Claskegate, the former Montana ballroom, with her actor husband Ayden Callaghan, most notable for his roles on Hollyoaks and Emmerdale.

The building will form the new base for the couple’s Curious Theatre School, which was originally opened in Bailgate Methodist church hall before expanding to its current premises, Wolsey’s Rest on Grantham Street.

The site on Clasketgate used to be the Montana ballroom. | Photo: Brown&Co JHWalter

This new site at Clasketgate still has the striking Art Deco frontage that is believed to have been there since 1934, and due to the popularity of their theatre school, the couple have rented the premises to expand.

The couple moved to Lincoln from London due to Sarah-Jane’s family connections in Retford, opting to pass on acting, dancing and drama skills they have learned throughout their careers to the younger generations.

It will soon become the base of operations for the theatre school. | Photo: Brown&Co JHWalter

Sarah-Jane said: “We hope to reinstate the Montana name of the ballroom and would love to restore it. “It’s a large building and we hope to have the main studio on the first floor and two more studios upstairs.

“We hope to use the front of the building for a charity which helps youngsters with mental health issues. Our aim is to create a big creative hub for young people in Lincoln.”