Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre has been granted grade II-listed status by the government.

The venue, named after the locally-based actress who helped found it, was designed and built between 1963 and 1965 by John Brownrigg of Scott Brownrigg and Turner.

According to a statment by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, it has been listed “in recognition of its design with a distinctive, sculptural form and exposed concrete structure, interesting plan, and auditorium which is of particular interest”.

Culture minister Ed Vaizey described the building as a “fine example of post-war design”. English Heritage head of designation Emily Gee added: “The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre is a visually striking building which has been carefully designed, planned and detailed. It is the epitome of an architecturally inventive provincial theatre of the mid-1960s which survives in remarkably intact condition and fully merits listing at grade II.”

The decision was welcomed by the Theatres Trust, which submitted an application to English Heritage to nominate the theatre for statutory listing in 2011.

Mark Price, the trust’s planning and heritage adviser said: “It’s important to recognise the quality of theatres built in the 1960s, a time when new theatres reflected civic post-war ambitions. Its distinctive sculptural ‘rib-cage’ fins wrap around an interior circular drum containing the auditorium and we can see this reflected in the way more contemporary theatres went on to be designed.”