A brief history of KAVE Theatre Services

KAVE Theatre Services is the trading name of KAVE Lighting Ltd. KAVE Theatre Services was founded over 30 years ago as ‘Kinetic Audio Visual Environments’ and was based on the Sussex coast at Brighton.

Acquired by its present management some five years later KAVE has enjoyed steady growth based on a comprehensive knowledge of the theatre industry, this has led to our current position as the market leader in the south east.

In 1988 the KAVE Theatre Services moved to modern premises on the Sheddingdean Estate in Burgess Hill, however it soon became apparent that we would quickly outgrow our new home. Unfortunately premises suitable for our somewhat unusual needs were hard to find so it wasn’t until six years later the company made yet another move to its current address. 15 Western Road, Hurstpierpoint is, for the present, ideal.

KAVE Theatre Services occupy a building complex of about 4,500 sq. ft. from which we operate successful sales, hire, service and installation departments. This versatile space is separated into areas for our trade counter, bulk, day and hire storage. The events and installation departments have their own dedicated stores. In the air conditioned first floor office we have our accounts department, office space, directors offices and a spacious meeting area.

KAVE Theatre Services employ over twenty-five permanent staff members as well as having an extensive bank of fully qualified engineers on call. All KAVE Theatre Services work is to NIC EIC standard and is certified. Our personnel are specialists, with considerable experience in their field, or apprentices who are undertaking training.

In April 2003 KAVE Theatre Services embarked upon a new era by opening a branch in the Midlands. Based in Wirksworth, close to Derby, we can now cover the Midlands, further north towards Scotland and west into Wales with ease. Since opening, our new office has gone from strength to strength and we have subsequently moved into larger accommodation.

In the last 18 months we have appointed an events manager to specifically manage the growing number of requests for special events, production managing and rigging work. More details can be found here.

We are able to deliver anywhere in the country, local or big jobs are carried out by one of our vans, long distance work is carried out by a third party carrier.

KAVE Theatre Services acknowledge have an ongoing training program, many of our staff are undergoing apprenticeships, whilst we also take part in many industry related courses, listed below:

• IPAF - Working on Genie Lifts & Self Propelled Booms
• PASMA - Safe use of Towers and Access equipment
• First Aid at Work
• LOLER - Alongside PUWER regulations controlling lifting equipment.
• PUWER
• Tomcat Rigging Course - Use of trussing, rigging and motors
• PAT - Portable Appliance Testing

KAVE Theatre Services are main dealers for many of the leading names in theatre supply, including Zero 88, Selecon, ETC, Strand, Allen & Heath, Sennheiser, Rosco, Denon and DAS.

KAVE Theatre Services work to conventions set out in the Standard J.C.T. contract.

KAVE Theatre Services are NIC EIC registered installers.