FORUM FOCUS For Blandford and surrounding villages Issue No. 65
Richard’s musical mystery: Page 7
August 2017
Save our stage campaign calls for rethink on Corn Exchange A CAMPAIGN to persuade Blandford Town Council to reconsider its plans for the regeneration of the town's Corn Exchange, specifically the planned removal of the proscenium arch and stage, has been launched by a number of users of the building. It is spearheaded by Sam James, director of the recent production of Blackadder by Forum Drama at Durweston village hall. He said on his Facebook page: "My grandfather first laid eyes on my grandmother performing on that stage. My great grandfather maintained the stage and myself and my children have performed on it, so for me it has irreplaceable value. "I believe that it can be saved and that the venue itself can be rejuvenated and improved without losing its identity or heritage. The Corn Exchange can be one of the great venues in Dorset for all sorts of entertainment and really have a big positive influence on our town." Within 24 hours he had been contacted by a significant number of people supporting the campaign, including Becky Hollands of the Performing Arts Theatre Academy. She commented: "It makes me so sad - it is one of the last raked stages in the country. There is so much they could do with that space to make it 'multipurpose' without taking out the one thing that is actually needed for community theatre! "As a dance school, we found it incredibly hard to use it as it has
no sound equipment or lighting. If they invested in that, more groups would use it for sure for their shows rather than travelling out of town." Mr James said he had received advice from a friend at the Theatres Trust who had told him that the best thing to do was to get a campaign team together to get their protest and proposal in. "I also have contact details for a successful campaign team who, against the odds, stopped the conversion of a cinema into a church." Planning permission was granted over three years ago for the regeneration scheme after several years' negotiation with English Heritage (now Historic England) over what could be done to restore the building and make it more multi-purpose and userfriendly. The proposals include taking out the stage and back stage area, installing a kitchen, and installing a flexible but fixed seating system similar to that at The Exchange in Sturminster Newton. The Theatres Trust in 2013 objected to the complete loss of the stage house, constructed in 1891, which it said was the main focus of the hall and should be retained to maintain its function as a theatrical performance space for local amateur dramatic societies. • To Page 2
All set for starring roles FOUR Blandford youngsters were chosen to take centre stage in Blandford Carnival on Saturday, September 9, when the Carnival Princess selection evening was held at the Royal British Legion. Carnival Princess Lexi Wright, aged ten, a pupil at Archbishop Wake Primary School, will be attended by Kacey Bumby, aged seven, from Blandford St Mary Primary, and Lara Miller, aged eight, from Milldown Primary. In the absence of entries for the Miss Teenager selection, the judges from Shaftesbury Carnival committee made the wise decision of appointing 11-year-old Evie Rodger from The Blandford School, who was the oldest (and tallest) of the 13 contestants. She is only weeks off the qualifying age of 12 and will be 12 years old on the day of the Carnival.
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