Campaigners want a theatre for Warrington

A CAMPAIGN to provide a new theatre  in Warrington is to continue – despite a “deafening silence” from the Town Hall on the subject.
Campaigners believe the town  needs a thriving theatre as much as it  needs a successful Rugby League club.
Former borough councillor Celia Jordan said: “There are too many people at the Town Hall who think that because Warrington has a successful Rugby League club it doesn’t need anything else.
“The leader of the council has said we have nothing to fear from Manchester or Liverpool. But if we are to compete with them in the arts and entertainment field, we need a theatre.
“Runcorn has a superb theatre. Wigan has a thriving small theatre. Altrincham has a theatre run by volunteers. We are  bigger than all of them, but we have nothing.”
A sub-group of Warrington Arts Council is to meet on August 11 to consider ways of getting a theatre in the town.
Efforts to provide a theatre have been going on for around 10 years.  Local amateur theatre groups put money into a fighting fund around that time – and the money is still in a bank account waiting to be used.
Campaigners have come up with several ideas, including converting the former Mr Smith’s Club prior to it being destroyed by fire.
Mrs Jordan came up with the idea of persuading the developers of the new 10-screen cinema to be built in the town centre to make one of the 10-studion cinemas suitable for use as a small, live theatre.
She said: “At one time it was quite common for cinemas to double up as theatres. But I doubt if developers will want to build such a venue today.
“We feel we have to look at other possibilities in Warrington and are looking support from some big names from the entertainment world.”
Anyone who want to help the group can contact it by emailing [email protected]