Guildford Borough Council (GBC) has appointed HQ Theatres to operate the Surrey town's new entertainment venue, which is set to open in autumn 2011.

The council carried out a "comprehensive evaluation process" to select a company the run the Austin-Smith:Lord-designed venue, which is being delivered by Willmott Dixon Construction. When complete, the entertainment venue will replace Guildford's former Civic Hall and will feature an auditorium with a capacity of 1,000 seated or 1,700 standing.

A multi-purpose studio; two conference and five seminar rooms; a café; bars; and foyer spaces will complete the venue's line-up of facilities. Hampshire-based consultancy Scott Wilson also forms part of the team delivering the new venue, which is set to host a wide range of comedy, music and family shows.

GBC strategic director Jim Miles said: "By using a commercial operator partner, we will ensure that a diverse entertainment programme will make the best and most cost-effective use of everything our new venue has to offer. "Following a competitive tender and scoring process, we selected HQ Theatres to run the venue for us when it opens next year."

Qdos Entertainment chair Nick Thomas added: "The venue is designed with style, imagination, and flair, and we are in no doubt that Guildford will quickly take it to its heart."