Wyvern Theatre September 2006, it closed temporarily after the discovery of traces of asbestos in the venue's offices and roof void during a routine inspection. It remained closed until September 2007 and the closure was used to refurbish the venue, bringing new decor, bars, cafés, disabled entrances and new seating costing £1.3 million. The first performance afterwards was on 25 September 2007. Over the years The Wyvern Theatre has had its own mascot in the form of a 6-foot-high green dragon-like creature known as Willy the Wyvern. Willy the Wyvern became the theatre's mascot originally during in its founding years but faded
Westland Wyvern (and equally troubled) Blackburn Firebrand. Several second-line squadrons also received Wyverns around this time. Total production was 127 airframes with 124 aircraft completed, as the last three Eagle piston-engined airframes, VR138, -139, and -140, were never completed. The first carrier trials were carried out by the first pre-production Wyvern TF.2 aboard on 21 June 1950. Despite this, when the Wyvern S.4 entered service with 813 Naval Air Squadron in May 1953, it had not obtained clearance for carrier operations, this being obtained only in April 1954. The Wyvern was in service with the Fleet Air Arm from 1954 to 1958.