Businessman and RSC supporter awarded CBE

RSC supporter and Coventry businessman David Burbidge has been recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

David has been awarded a CBE for services to cultural philanthropy in the West Midlands - especially in Coventry and Warwickshire.

David is the chairman of Burbidge and Son Ltd, a 148-year-old family-owned company which manufactures quality kitchen furniture at two factories in Coventry.

He is a champion of the arts and is the chairman of the executive group for the bid for Coventry to become the 2021 UK City of Culture.

David, who is Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands, was chairman of Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre until 2008 and led the venue through a major management change and a successful £14m capital project.

Until recently he was also main board member of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and was the chairman of the Central Campaign for the £112m transformation of the RSC theatres at Stratford upon Avon. More recently he has been the champion for the £4.5m campaign for restoration of the Swan Wing at the theatre.

He is a significant philanthropist predominantly in the arts and culture sector.

He was recently given the Coventry Award of Merit for ‘outstanding service to the economic and cultural life of the city, including contribution to the development of the Coventry Building Society, The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry Cathedral Development Trust and, more recently, the Royal Shakespeare Company and to the Lord Lieutenancy of the West Midlands’.

David said: “I am incredibly honoured to receive a CBE for my services to cultural philanthropy in the West Midlands.

“I have always had a strong interest in arts and culture and look forward to continuing to being involved with this sector.

Catherine Mallyon, Executive Director of the RSC said: "David has been an enormously active and effective supporter of the RSC and arts and culture in our region for many years.

“His generosity helped us reopen the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in 2010 and more recently to restore the oldest part of our buildings, the beautiful Victorian Swan Wing. Not only that, but he has cheerfully given expertise, time and energy to the Company through his involvement on our Board and in our fundraising campaigns.

“We are so pleased that David's contribution to the arts is recognised with this honour and we are delighted to be supporting David and his team in the upcoming bid for Coventry to be City of Culture in 2021. Our region deserves nothing less."