Marlborough's theatre dream is over (From Swindon Advertiser)

Marlborough's theatre dream is over

3:00pm Monday 22nd March 2010 in

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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 Marlborough College, which is planning a major revamp of its Memorial Hall.

These factors were outlined at a public meeting called by the Kennet Valley Arts Trust at which it was agreed to abandon the theatre plans but still consider a cinema and arts centre, but not necessarily in a new building.

There was 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 £5.7 million Riverbank theatre in the George Lane car park. There was no vote at the meeting but not one person spoke in favour of proceeding with Riverbank plans.

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.”

All fundraising events were now being dropped, he said.