The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31st August 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).
To encourage the study and practice of Dramatic Art amongst the inhabitants of London and elsewhere and to promote and conduct such theatrical and musical performances, lectures, concerts and other educational enterprises as may tend to the attainment of this object.
These fall into three main areas of activity - our own season of plays, the hiring of the theatres to other amateur and professional visiting companies and our range of educational activities.
The Questors' own season typically comprises 16 - 18 productions plus additional one-off performances, staged readings focussed on new writing, and late evening shows. One of the challenges of being a public theatre is to balance the need to attract wider audiences with the continued aim of presenting a balanced programme of plays and productions which covers the best in theatre in terms of style, period, culture, and country of origin, but with a particular emphasis on ''The Classic, The Rare and The New''.
The Questors Theatre operates two theatre spaces: The Judi Dench Playhouse and the Stanislavsky Studio. These two theatres are available for hire to other amateur and professional companies, many of whom are long-standing returning hirers.
Educational activities undertaken by the Questors Theatre focus on: training for young people aged 5 to 18; outreach support for refugees aged 16 to 18; adult acting training for those aged 18+; mentoring in all aspects of theatre, performance and production for members aged 18+.
Significant activities
The year ending 31 August 2025 comprised a full year of activities.
A new and improved Fire Alarm system was installed - ensuring maximum coverage by sensors and reducing the occurrence of false alarms. Continued investment in the heating, plumbing and electrical systems improved efficiency and sought to combat the need for ongoing repairs.
A project to train volunteer captioners - to provide surtitled performances for the deaf and hard of hearing in between audiences - was complete. Since April 2024 at least one performance of every in-house show has been captioned.
A grand piano was kindly donated to the theatre and is now in the foyer space - available to be played by members of the theatre and public alike.
In productions, The Questors staged their first musical in a number of years and an outdoor summer production in collaboration with Pitzhanger Manor happened in Walpole Park.
The Questors Youth Theatre
The Questors Youth Theatre (QYT) provides classes for children from ages 5 - 18. The programme imbues children with an ethos of exploring an individual's creativity and enhancing their own powers of self-expression. The weekly classes run throughout the year and classes were added to meet demand. We staged Easter and Summer showcases, and various holiday projects were also run, The QYT production was Lionboy by Marcelo Dos Santos.
The theatre took part in the Ealing Council's Holiday Activities Fund (HAF) provisions. This allowed for free places with lunch provided in our Summer Holiday Youth Workshops to those in receipt of free school meals.
Acting for All and Improv
Our Acting for All (AfA) course, intended for adults looking for a friendly and relaxed beginners' class in acting, continued for the 2024/25 season.
Our improv classes (level 1,2 and 3) continued to be well attended across the year.
Cultural Education Partnership
In February 2025 we were granted funding to run the Cultural Education Partnership for the Borough of Ealing. This funding provides around £40k of funding for cultural outreach, as well as support staffing costs. This project places The Questors Theatre at the heart of the cultural landscape in West London.
The 2024/25 Season
Our season comprised of 19 productions - including two new pieces of writing. Overall our shows were incredibly well attended. In the Judi Dench Playhouse three productions filled over 75% of available seats. Audiences were also strong in The Studio where five productions were completely sold-out.
Across the programme there were a number of new and revisited strands. Our first outdoor production designed for a park attracted over 1,250 people to see an irreverent adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma. More than 2,200 people had an 'absolutely bloomin luvverley' time at My Fair Lady - our first full musical in over seven years. A brave group of intrepid actors took to the stage to perform White Rabbit Red Rabbit - a play that actors can only perform once and they only receive the script infront of the audience on the night they perform.
Playhouse Productions
- Sep 24 Blithe Spirit by Noël Coward
- Oct/Nov 24 The Welkin by Lucy Kirkwood
- Dec 24 Jack and the Beanstalk by Mark Oldknow
- Jan/Feb 25 Posh by Laura Wade
- Feb/Mar 25 Lionboy by Marcelo Dos Santos
- Mar/Apr 25 My Fair Lady by Lerner and Loewe
- May 25 Boudica by Tristan Bernays
- Jul 25 Table Manners by Alan Ayckbourn
Studio Productions
- Sep 24 How to Disappear Completely and Never be Found by Fin Kennedy
- Oct 24 The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh
- Oct/Nov 24 White Rabbit Red Rabbit by Nassim Soleimanpour
- Nov 24 The Cane by Mark Ravenhill
- Dec 24 The Mystery of Fellstone Manor by Jude Emmet
- Jan 25 The Anniversary by Bill Macilwraith
- Feb 25 A Real Race Around the World devised by David Hovatter and Company
- Mar 25 Trojan Barbie by Christine Evans
- May 25 Relatively Speaking by Alan Ayckbourn
- May/Jun 25 Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas
Outdoor Production
- Jun 25 Jane Austen's Emma by Doon MacKichan & Martin Millar
In addition to the above we also ran The Overnight Plays, a number of Q Extra events and regular Christmas Ghost Stories evening.
The Borough Ealing Art (BEAT) returned and we were regarded as a key venue. We also instigated a summer community festival welcoming groups from all over the borough to showcase their classes and workshops and provided opportunities for artists to perform who may not normally be able to hire our spaces for a full day.
Many of our regular hirers returned to the theatre over this season and they were also joined by others who were new to us. We also continued to offer assistance to Ealing Music Services with a venue to perform in.
The Questors Student Group (the Acting: Foundation and Performance Course) continued. The second-year group (Group 76) performed Trojan Barbie by Christine Evans in the Studio in March and Table Manners by Alan Ayckbourn in the Playhouse in July. Group 77 completed their first-year course and are currently rehearsing for their first production in their second year.
The Literature Classes continued on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, as did Morning Chorus Choir on Thursdays and Ealing 135 Baby Fit on Fridays. Ealing's ADHD support group began meeting regularly on-site.
The Questors Office
Two new positions were created in relation to the Cultural Education Partnership.
Investment Performance
The Trustees are currently satisfied with the investment performance of the assets and at present do not have any plans to expand their portfolio or feel it necessary to dispose of those currently held.
Financial performance
Income for the year increased by 19.82% to £1,026,192 (2024: £856,419).
Expenditure for the year increased by 7.70% to £999,115 (2024: £ 927,683).
Consequently, Net surplus was @ £27,077 compared to a deficit of £70,894 in 2024/25.
The Grapevine resumed donations of £17,000 (2024: nil), however, there was a decrease in donations overall, this was countered by an 8.93% increase in income from charitable activities (2025: £772,868; 2024: £709,502) reflecting the overall improvement on the previous year. The expenditure increase in the year is mainly due to the site issues and legislative requirements as mentioned earlier. Costs associated with the site investment are charged at a full year and therefore contributes to overall increase. The expectation is, they will now stabilise or fall in the coming years. Costs are reviewed on a continuous basis.
The net assets have increased to £770,924 as at 31 August 2025 as compared to £743,847 at 31 August 2024.
Tangible fixed assets for use by the charity
The charity has the power to invest in accordance with the objects clause in its Memorandum of Association and in accordance with the general law.
Funds surplus to day-to-day requirements are kept at a number of reputable Prudential Regulatory Authority (PRA) approved commercial banks. These amounted to £277,118 (2024: £243,139) at 31 August 2025 (excludes HSBC Deposit Account £184,770). In addition, due to the closure of the fund our investment in the M&G unit trust was sold (2024: £9,947; 2025: £0).
Market Value of land and building
The net book value of the freehold land and buildings at 31 August 2025 was £567,172 (2024: £596,945). The trustees consider that the present market value is not less than book value.
The current Reserve Policy of the charity is that unrestricted net current assets should be maintained above £200,000.
Risk management
The Board continues to review the risk to which the Charity is exposed and establish management systems that mitigate those risks. The risks that the organisation faces are reviewed on a regular basis. The Principal risks and uncertainties to which the charity is currently exposed together with mitigating actions being taken are listed below.
Financial Risks
The Questors Theatre continues to operate in a climate of uncertainty in the creative industries as a whole. While audiences have returned, some booking patterns remain erratic and economic uncertainty among the public at large may continue to affect the booking patterns.
While currently income from outside sources (both commercial and community hires) and our burgeoning strand of incoming professional companies are increasing - the same economic uncertainty could affect this.
Physical Risks
The site undergoes regular assessment for physical risks, including Fire Risks, Asbestos Management, break-in's as well as annual surveys of the water, gas and electrical systems, Independent professional checks are carried out on fire extinguishers, the Tallescope, the lift fixed equipment in the workshop and laundry equipment in wardrobe department, cleaning equipment, the alarm systems as required by our insurers and procedures meet current best practices.
PAT testing and annual maintenance of small appliances are carried out annually. Further maintenance and replacing of emergency lighting was undertaken as well as to fire doors. We have continued the transition to LED lighting in the Playhouse and are planning the same transition in the Studio.
The Questors have renewed their efforts to increase awareness of health and safety rules across the site, ensuring that procedures are followed correctly and consistently in all areas of the business.
The infrastructure and facilities owned by The Questors are considerable in size and complexity and just to keep the site safely operational requires considerable maintenance work within the funds available.
The Finance Sub-Committee reported on the forecast outturn against budget regularly, and the Board received advice on the impact of the reserves as well as cash flow.
A loan facility from Charity Bank of £283,598 was drawn to pay for the refurbishment of the Playhouse roof in the financial year 2022/23. Loans under this facility are secured against the freehold of the theatre site and have a term of 25 years, with repayment of the capital commencing in year three. The Board continue to believe such loans to be affordable based on recent financial performance, and furthermore any bequests or donations received in the future can be used to pay down the loan early without penalty.
The Questors receives independent advice on working with young people via the ITC (Independent Theatre Council), LTG (Little Theatre Guild) and ACE (Arts Council England). The Questors also follows Ealing Council's Guide To Safeguarding for the charity and voluntary sectors. We also, references ABTT'S Yellow Book (Association of British Theatre Technician's Technical Standards for Places of Entertainment) for regulatory requirement and best practice.
The Immediate Future
Looking towards the 2025/26 season we plan to present a complete season of 18 productions and and expand our offer in terms of courses both for adults and young people.
Refurbishment and maintenance works continue across the site and a multi-year investment in lighting equipment has been agreed by the Board of Trustees.
We intend to develop our relationships in the cultural fabric of the Borough of Ealing, of Greater London and the UK. This will happen on many fronts. Firstly by continuing on the role of lead for the Borough of Ealing Cultural Education Partnership - made possible by a multi-year funding grant. We remain committed to supporting opportunities for work experience - both in specific technical areas of the theatre industry, to more opportunities to increase employability. We remain committed to the Ealing Council Cultural Task Group and are an active member of Future Arts Centres who believe that, through offering outstanding artistic experiences for all in communities, and by operating as robust social enterprises, warts centres present a fantastic model for the cultural venues of tomorrow.
We continue our membership of The Little Theatre Guild, we also continue to be a member of the Society of independent Theatres which includes Canal Café, Charing Cross Theatre, The Courtyard, The Finborough Theatre, Hoxton Hall, Jermyn Street Theatre, The King's Head Theatre, Landor Theatre, The Lion & Unicorn, The Park Theatre, Pleasance Theatre and Theatre 503. The objective of the group includes raising the profile of independent venues within the theatre industry and with general public; encouraging the development of the performing arts; exchanging information on the theatre companies and suppliers; exchanging ideas and proposals for marketing, promotion and audience development.
Governing document
The Trust is a company limited by guarantee governed by it's Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 2 June 1949. These have been amended from time to time, most recently at a general meeting on 6 February 2005 when the Committee of Management with membership of 15 was replaced by a Board of Trustees with membership of ten. It is registered as a charity with the Charity Commission. The Charitable company is controlled by a Board of Trustees all of whom are Directors and Trustees of the Charity.
Anyone over the age of 18 can become a full member of the Company and acquire all the rights and obligations of membership including the right to vote at General Meetings. The Questors also offers Associate Membership of which there are currently two categories. Student Membership is open to a person who is a member of The Questors Student Group. Partner Membership is open to any group, organisation or company which the Questors has helped to found or support (for example The Questors Choir and Pitshanger Poets) or with which The Questors has entered into a partnership agreement.
Details relating to membership are set out in the Bye-Laws, the current version being those approved by the Annual General Meeting on 31 March 2025.
The liability of the members is limited to a guarantee of 5 pence per member in the event of an insolvency winding-up.
The Trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
There is a maximum of ten Trustees who are elected by full members at the Annual General Meeting. No-one outside has nomination rights. Three Trustees, being the longest serving but chosen by lot if more than three have served for the same length of time, retire by rotation and are eligible for re-election. In addition any Trustee who has served more than two and a half consecutive years since election must retire and is eligible for re-election. The Trustees have the power to co-opt members to fill casual vacancies, but co-opted members are required to retire at the next Annual General Meeting and are eligible for re-election.
The Board of Trustees administers the Charity. The Board meets ten times a year. There are a number of sub-committees created by The Board to examine issues in more detail than the full Board is able to do. The Finance Sub-Committee meets at least quarterly to scrutinise the accounts, budget and financial matters. The Facilities Sub-Committee is charged with preparing and keeping under review a facilities plan that captures all the non-routine repair needs and development opportunities on the site, and making recommendations to the Board. The Health, Safety and Safeguarding Sub-Committee meets at least quarterly and more often if necessary to discuss all aspects of site safety, security and safeguarding concerns, The Board itself may meet outside the regular cycle for special purposes and appoint task forces, usually led by a Trustee but involving other active members as well, to examine particular issues in depth.
From 2017, we have two senior executive officers of The Questors - the Executive Director, which remains a paid role, and the Artistic Director, which remains a volunteer member role. All other member and staff management roles take their day-to-day leadership from these two senior executive officers who attend all Board meetings. Within this structure the Trustees have taken on the following portfolios, to ensure good communication within the organisation: Diversity and Inclusion; Education; Facilities Finance; Front of House; Health, Safety and Safeguarding; Marketing; Membership & Communications; Production; and Strategy.
Broadly speaking, the Board of Trustees concerns itself with the longer-term strategic issues and the Executive with operational issues within policies. Day-to-day operations are managed by the Executive Director and there are other paid staff, plus tutors on the educational courses.
New Trustees receive an information pack comprising the Memorandum and Articles of Association and other key documents and are invited to discuss the role with the Chairman and Company Secretary. There is a formal Trustee Roel Description that embraces both their duties under company and charity law and what The Questors itself expects of Trustees. Trustees are currently drawn only from the active membership. As such, they will be familiar with The Questors and are likely to have been involved in the Theatre for many years. There is, therefore, n formal process of inducting new Trustees into the work and aims of the Company, as would be necessary were Trustees appointed from outside. Having said that, the Board actively encourages Trustees to familiarise themselves with aspects of the organisation they may not know so well, in particular the various roles of permanent staff and those non0theatre activities that are increasingly important to the financial viability of the company.
The Board has considered the possibility of inviting people from outside to be Trustees and the issue will be kept under review.
At present The Questors Limited does not consider itself to be part of a wider network.
The theatre's bar is run by separate body, the Grapevine Club, with its own constitution and accounts, which occupies its premises under a license from The Questors. It also donates its surplus income to the theatre. In the year ended 31 August 2025 the license fee was £45,000 (2024: £45,000) with a nil donations (2024: £ nil) due to planned refurbishment work within the club.
In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that Clarke & Co be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.
The Trustees report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
The Trustees, who are also the directors of The Questors Limited for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Trust and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Trust will continue in operation.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Trust and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Trust and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of The Questors Limited (the ‘Trust’) for the year ended 31 August 2025 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, the statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
In our opinion, the financial statements:
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the Trust in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Trustees use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the Trust’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Other information
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The Trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:
the information given in the Trustees report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared, which includes the directors' report prepared for the purposes of company law, is consistent with the financial statements; and
the directors' report included within the Trustees report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the Trust and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors' report included within the Trustees report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
certain disclosures of trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
the Trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies' exemptions in preparing the Trustees report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.
A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
The notes on pages 16 to 26 form part of these financial statements.
The Questors Limited is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is The Questors Theatre, 12 Mattock Lane, Ealing, London, W5 5BQ.
The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SROP (FRS102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006.
The financial statements have been prepared under historical cost convention, with the exception of investments which are included at market value, as modified by the revaluation of certain assets.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Trust has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the Trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors or grantors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the Trust has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.
Fixed asset investments are initially measured at transaction price excluding transaction costs, and are subsequently measured at fair value at each reporting date. Changes in fair value are recognised in net income/(expenditure) for the year. Transaction costs are expensed as incurred.
At each reporting end date, the Trust reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
The Trust has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the Trust's balance sheet when the Trust becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the Trust’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the Trust is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.
In the application of the Trust’s accounting policies, the Trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
Grant received, included in the above was from Ealing council.
There were no trustee's expenses paid for the year ended 31 August 2025 nor for the year 31 August 2024.
There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year 31 August 2025 nor for the year 31 August 2024.
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The charity is exempt from taxation on its activities because all its income is applied for charitable purposes.
An impairment provision of £2,365 (2024: £2,001) is provided against the trade debtors.
Prepayments primarily includes the advance payments made by charity towards Insurance, Rights and Scripts costs.
On 26 May 2022 the Charity Bank provided drawdown facility of £600,000 to The Questors Ltd. The first drawdown was made for £283,598, during the year ended 31 August 2023. The remaining drawdown remains available to facilitate further refurbishment projects. No additional amounts have been spent during the year ended 31 August 2025.
The facility is secured by a legal charge dated 15 December in favour of the bank. The company has used its freehold land and building located at 12 Mattock Lane, Ealing, London W5 5BQ as collateral for a long-term loan. The building is stated at it's cost less depreciation on the balance sheet. The carrying value of the building as on the 31 August 2025 is £567,174 (2024: £596,945).
The company operates on a ''Selective Pension Plan'' whereby the company pays a defined contribution for eligible employees into the employee's own personal pension scheme. The company also provides a personal pension scheme facility entitled The Questors 2 Grouped individual Retirement Plan no 70003-91R-GPP. The pension charge represents contribution payable by the company for the year. The company liability is limited to the amount of the contributions payable for meeting future pension payments rests solely with the employee's pension plan provider. There was an amount of £ 9,209 (2024: £5,659) unpaid at the year end.
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
The Questor Grapevine Club is an unincorporated association founded by the members of the Questors Limited in 1959. The club is a separate entity which occupies part of the Theatre on the basis of a yearly licence fee. In the year ended 31 August 2025 the income generated from the licence fee is £45,000 (2024: £45,000). In the current year, the club did make donations to The Questors Theatre, with surplus income £17,000 (2024: £0).
The Charitable Company is controlled by a Board of Trustees all of whom are Directors and Trustees of the Charity.
The Liability of the members is limited to a guarantee of 5p per member in the event if an insolvency winding up.