Supporting the Theatres Trust

[Chas at Halls]

Hi All,

 

We here at Hall Stage do our best to help keep the older theatres around the UK in working spec and are always visiting local theatres - often run on a shoe-string - that continue to provide great entertainment and the occasional lump of culture for the neighbourhood. These places are also an invaluable school for trainee technicians - I started working life in my local rep as a kid and got the bug straight away. I'm sure many of the BlueRoom membership started in the same fashion.....

 

What I find pretty sad is the way so many of our small local venues are being swept aside at such a rate - usually for some ghastly local development involving a new supermarket or car park....

 

The latest one we heard about is the Nelson Palace Theatre in Pendle - read about it on the "Theatres Trust" website Theatre Trust It has been ignored and neglected for years and is a bit of a mess - which of course makes it easier to bulldoze.....and once they're gone - that's it.

 

The Theatres Trust do fantastic work we try to sing their praises wherever possible. If you could spare 10 minutes and a stamp to send a letter of support - it may well give this place a little bit of breathing space.

 

Your letter should be addressed to: Mr Stephen Barnes the Chief Executive and Cllr Allan Buck, Executive Member for Economic Development and Tourism

 

Postal address: Pendle Borough Council, Town Hall, Market Street, Nelson BB9 7LG And copied to: The Theatres Trust info@theatrestrust.org.uk

 

You can also e-mail directly to the Council at tracy.hartley@pendle.gov.uk cc info@theatrestrust.org.uk

 

Over to you.

 

Chas at Halls.

[Bryson]

Hi Chas,

 

As I said in the other thread: I can totally support saving older theatres for which there is a use. But is there a viable plan for what this theatre could be used for?

 

Just saving the place isn't enough: It has to be a living, breathing theatre to make sense, surely?

[Chas at Halls]

Hi Bryson,

 

I absolutely agree with you - it's just a building in 'real' terms.....without some quality product to put in it, it has little'value' as such. It has to be a functioning and commercially viable venue to deserve its' place in the local make-up.

 

The reason for highlighting the place and others like it is that it'll only take 24 hours to wipe it out for ever...and for a car park? We have the benefit of English Heritage over here & they are (effectively) the nations' decision makers on what is worth keeping and what's not. If they think it's worth listing, it at least gets a stay of the demolition order and the local council get another potential opportunity to enrich the neighbourhood - rather than just bang up another Tescos/MacDondalds/some other cheap'n'easy hollow exercise in community suppression.....

 

See the recent unpleasantness at Southend New Empire for an example of a much used and appreciated - yet unprotected - venue left to the wholly commercial sector......

 

Watch out - the Libraries are next.....hardly anyone goes to them these days.

 

Grrr...

 

Chas at Halls

[smalljoshua]

Some theatres are IMO worth saving more than others. There is one in Plymouth, The Athaneaum, which went dark at the end of July as the group that own the building no longer want to look after it. It is not unsafe, it isn't that old, it is the only Am-Dram venue in Plymouth with a proper fly tower and still it has been closed. If there were a group willing to buy the venue from the current owners who never use the auditorium (the only use for the venue is meetings now) it would be easy to get back up on its feet.

 

Seeing as even the Council aren't prepared to save a viable theatre that is about 1 min from the Theatre Royal, what hope have theatres that have been dark for years?

 

Josh