Theatre watchdog joins Futurist fight

12th March 2010

Scarborough Evening News reports on The Theatres Trust’s letter to Scarborough Borough Council asking for it to be consulted on the future of the Futurist.

In a strongly worded letter to Scarborough Council’s chief executive Jim Dillon, a copy of which has been passed to the Evening News, the theatre watchdog’s planning and heritage advisor Mark Price says the organisation is “surprised and disappointed that it has not been involved in discussions about the theatre’s future.

Mr Price has also asked that the Theatres Trust be given a place on the council’s new task group, which was set up to consider the future of the Foreshore theatre.

He adds that the Futurist is included on the Trust’s Theatre Buildings at Risk register and is likely to be re-rated as “High Risk” when the trust releases its list of the country’s most threatened theatre buildings in June.

The letter states: “Given our involvement with your local authority in the past, and as the national advisory public body for theatres, we are surprised and disappointed that you have not involved the Theatres Trust over our views on the future of the building.”

Pro-Futurist campaigner Patricia David said: “I think the involvement of the Theatres Trust is fantastic, I think it’s exactly what we’ve been looking for.

Full article and source: Scarborough Evening News