7:20am Sunday 21st March 2010
By Nigel Kerton
The 15-year dream of Marlborough having its own community theatre has finally been dropped.
One of main reasons was that the town has a new 500-seat theatre at St John’s School as well as access to facilities at the College, which is also planning a major revamp of its Memorial Hall.
These factors were outlined at a public meeting called by the Kennet Valley Arts Trust on Monday at which the general agreement was to abandon the theatre plans but still consider a cinema and arts centre, although not necessarily in a new building.
There was no vote taken at the meeting in St Peter’s Church, which attracted about 80 people, however not one person spoke in favour of proceeding with the Riverbank theatre plans.
There was general support for the idea of the town having cinema and arts centre facilities which, it was agreed, could be provided in existing buildings avoiding the need for the proposed new £5.7 million Riverbank in the George Lane car park.
Trust chairman Brig John Cornell said he had been asked to lead fundraising for the Riverbank but added: “This was going on at the start of the credit crunch. It was not the ideal time to be going ahead with a £5.7m arts centre.” All fund-raising events were now being dropped, he said.
Wiltshire councillor Stuart Wheeler, cabinet member for leisure and culture, told the meeting he anticipated there would be no problem when the Riverbank’s planning permission was due for renewal later this year. However, he said that from the date of the renewal he would want “to see something happening within three years” on the site.
Guy Loosmore, chairman of the town council property committee, said it was looking at ways of making the town hall “a living building over the next few years”. That included a drop-down cinema screen and improved sound and lighting systems.
“This might address some of the needs of the town,” said Coun Loosmore.
Local entrepreneur Howard Spooner, who offered to bankroll any community arts centre, was not at Monday’s meeting.
St John’s headteacher Patrick Hazlewood said the school wanted its new Theatre on the Hill to fill the gap for theatre and cinema in Marlborough. “The theatre has been equipped to professional standards and is already taking bookings well into next year,” he said.
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