Row rages on over Guildhall 'theatre'

8:43am Thursday 21st February 2008

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THE controversy about the Guildhall continues to rage this week with Chard Town Council clerk John Furze coming under further fire from supporters of local theatrical groups.

Thespians are bitterly upset with some of the comments made by Mr Furze during a meeting of the council's Guildhall and tourism committee earlier this month in which he said the building was not a theatre and that he could not understand why groups wanted to use the Guildhall as they were complaining about its facilities.Now they have been quick to point out that a newly-published council brochure has declared the Guildhall as a fine modern auditorium' which can host a range of professional and amateur events from small recitals to full theatrical productions.'President of Chard Light Operatic Society, Helen Webber, said she was "getting more and more confused" about the council's stance on the Guildhall."Will Mr Furze please explain to us mere mortals why in a brochure produced by the council it states that the Guildhall is a theatre and yet he said in the meeting that the Guildhall is not a theatre," she told the News this week.CLOS chairman Roslynn Roderigo added: "If the Guildhall is not a theatre and the lights and dressing rooms need upgrading why is it advertised as a theatre in Guildhall brochures?"But Mr Furze said he did not think the brochure was misrepresenting the Guildhall."The Guildhall is capable of staging theatrical productions," he said. "But is it like the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil? No. Does it have an orchestra pit? No. I don't think we are misrepresenting the Guildhall in the brochure."The furore about the Guildhall has come to a head after CLOS complained about an invoice over its hiring of the building for its production of Kiss Me Kate.Thespians last week said they felt unwanted by the council and that they will be looking for an alternative venue to host their future productions.And the chairman of the Chard Amateur Theatrical Society, Marcus Marshall, also told the News this week that he was surprised by Mr Furze's comments.

"Quite honestly I though it was a big dig at the societies," he said.

"We do keep a lot of children off the streets but it sounds to me as if they want to see the children back on the streets."We are doing this for the people of Chard and the children but it is obvious that the council doesn't want us.