The Haymarket Theatre was opened by Sir Ralph Richardson and the opening season started with The Recruiting Officer on 17 October 1973, Economic Necessity on 24 October and Cabaret on 21 November.

The last show held at the Haymarket by the Leicester Theatre Trust was Wizard of Oz starring Helena Blackman and Ceri Dupree in 2006.

In June 2016 the management of the theatre was taken over by an organisation known as the Haymarket Consortium who undertook that it would be re-opened as a performance, training and e-sports venue.

[1][2] The theatre was re-opened for performances on 2 March 2017 and a formal opening ceremony took place later that year.

[3] The theatre closed again in March 2020, during the Coronavirus pandemic and entered liquidation on 22 May 2020.