A SURPRISE proposal took centre stage at Eastbourne’s Devonshire Park Theatre this weekend when Stuart Long got down on one knee to ask his long-term partner, Beth Newman, to marry him right in the middle of a guided tour.
The romantic moment unfolded during one of the theatre’s popular Tea and Tour events, with staff from Eastbourne Theatres helping to set the scene for Stuart’s big question. Beth, who once performed on the same stage as a young dancer in the pantomime, was taken completely by surprise.
The couple, who have been together for 4 years, but have known each other since they were 16, decided to come on one of the regular tours of the venues as a trip down memory lane for Beth, who had previously performed at the Devonshire Park Theatre as one of the young dancers at the pantomime in the grade II listed building.
The Devonshire Park is a special place for Beth, holding lots of lovely memories and Stuart knew it would be the ultimate romantic moment for the couple. With some help from the General Manager, Neil Jones, the stage was literally set for Stuart to pop the question.
Everyone loves a happy ending and the team at Eastbourne Theatres were very proud to have played a small part in this delightful love story and wish the couple the very warmest of congratulations!
The planning of the event was meticulous, and even the traffic outside Polegate couldn’t get in the way, despite some panic from Stuart as the couple made their way to the venue from their home in Hove.
Growing up in Uckfield, Beth was a member of the Deborah Lamb School of Dance who would regularly provide the dancers for the young company to perform at the pantomimes at the Devonshire Park. Beth would attend school in the morning, then make her way to the theatre with fellow dance school pupils and their chaperones to perform over the festive period.
Stuart said: “I am so thankful to Neil and the team at Eastbourne Theatres who helped make this event so special for Beth and myself, they were absolute stars. It really was a great moment, I got a bit panicked in the traffic on the way there, but it all worked out and was just as I’d planned!”
