Riverbank theatre/cinema

tracare · Chief stirrer

Riverbank theatre/cinema

tracare · Chief stirrer

APATHY RULES OK

Jeremy · Veteran Member

I agree with your original comment that most people prefer cinema as a form of entertainment- maybe because it's less demanding on the audience. We are very fortunate here in Houston as the choice of all forms of the performing arts are available and we do take advantage of it.

By the way, we're off to see Elton John here next month- we saw Phil Collins last year- my daughter asked on the way there why we were going to see old people's music, though she ended up enjoying it.

Back to the theatre, I think your second posting on the subject sums it up, not just for the theatre but for so many other things. I HATE people saying that there's nothing to do where ever they may be. I had a great time growing up in Marlborough in the 1970s and took advantage of many of the things on offer- that's what you do in life, and don't moan(here endeth the lesson).

Lillith · Member

Marlborough would benefit from a cinema. My children have wanted to go many times and I have been unable to take them (I do not drive, and any Cinemas around are a minimum of a two bus journey). A theatre is less needed as there are facilities which have been used already.

Jeremy · Veteran Member

I agree. Many cinemas closed years ago but there is a ressurgance in the numbers of people going. One thing I heard is that they make there money not so much from the film itself but from the sale of drinks and popcorn etc. We went to the cinema in Salisbury at Christmas and as I live in the USA, I nearly passed out at the cost of these things for my daughter. Personally, I go to the cinema to see a film, and to a cafe or restaurant to eat. I never knew the old cinema in Marlborogh- does anyone have any memories of it, including the films they saw? I'd love to hear about it. Is the Devizes cinema still open?

pan · Veteran Member

Hi Jeremy,

I sure have memories of the old cinema. Back to the good old courting days. (1954--1959)

We used to spend most Sat nights there, queueing up outside in rain, wind and whatever. Can I remember the movies ???? I remember seeing Moira Shearer in The Red Shoes, that was before the courting days. I was trying to remember the names of the ladies who used to work there. Does anyone remember?

Pat

pan · Veteran Member

Rob, where is the cinema/theatre menat to be build?

Cinemas still seem to be popular here in Canada, and they keep building these huge new one with about 12 cinemas in one.

I haven't been to the cinema in years.

Pat

-- Edited by pan at 01:02, 2005-02-21

Date: Feb 21, 2005

Hi Pat

They are planing to build it roughly behind skurrays garage on what is the part of the present car park (brilliant piece of planing to get rid of parking spaces in the town) and it may encrouch on to coopers meadow as well.

I am sure the cinema will do well but the theatre should pay its own way so tickets should represent the price of the production not what they think they can get away with by using subsidies.......after all we all pay for those

Date: Feb 22, 2005

Maybe someone can help me understand this project.

Some years ago the theatre's promoters commissioned a feasibility study and based on it ONLY losing £60,000 a YEAR they, Marlborough Town Council and Kennet decided to go ahead and build a theatre complex costing £4.5 million (now quoted in the G&H as being £5 million).

Has any official said who is going to pay this £60,000 shortfall?

When the study was done no one knew that the new school would also have a theatre for community use. So if Marlborough is now to have 4 theatres (I am told 2 already exist at the college and are already used by the community) why does it need 2 more?

With competition from the new school, is a £60,000 loss still achievable or has this sum also been reassessed upwards to match the rising building cost?

On the issue of removing some of Marlborough's already precious parking spaces to build it, hasn't some realised that if this building is to make money then people will have to visit it and that many of them will come by car and so add to the demand on the parking spaces. - But that is assuming that anyone will visit it

angel · Veteran Member

There is some real rubbish being talked here about the cinema theatre project. Whether you love or hate the idea, you would do well to at least get some facts right. If you had actually been following the story of how and why and where the money is coming from then you might be qualified to comment. These plans have been around in the making for a very long time, the extra parking spaces have already been made to compensate for the ones that will be lost - where the re-cycling bins are. New spaces are behind Hamptons. If you are interested in either supporting or just knowing more about the project then you could contact Rosie Hill at kvat@freeuk.com - I'm sure she would be delighted to send you information. If you are going to whinge, then at least whinge to the people who can make a difference and arm yourselves with fact not fiction. Everyone is entitled to their own viewpoint and I support people who want to voice their opinions - but please get the facts first.

tracare · Chief stirrer

I estimate that at the most there are 200 people who will attend this theatre regularly ..now taking into account that a production will cost in excess of £5,000 to put on that means each person will need to pay £25 to get in and this is without the theatre making a profit...now I don't mind if it pays it's own way, but god help anyone who asks me to pay for it!!!!!....just wait until election time

The cinema I think will be self funding and will have a much larger audience so I have no problem with that.

But what I will do is put up a poll to see how many want either the theatre or the cinema.

BUT PEOPLE NEED TO VOTE

Date: Mar 9, 2005

I remember the old cinema - when did it go? Anyone know? But thinking back now it was always empty - I would love a cinema in Marlborough but could it survive. Its competition being the larger multi screens at towns nearby with bigger choices and possibly the latest released films.... that's the only thing that would concern me.

Splodge · Veteran Member

Thank you Angel for your response. I have wondered who, if anyone, supported this project. However if KVAT wish to counter some of the comments being made then they should join this public forum.

Most of my information on this project has come from the dreaded G&H and it is noticeable how rare it is to see the KVAT joining in public debate in that media's letter page - lets see if they reply to Jo Ripley's letter of last week.

However a better source is the KVAT's own web site www.riverbank.org.uk as it makes some interesting claims such as -

"There are plenty of hotels, restaurants and pubs and the road and public transport links with the nearby towns of Swindon, Calne, Chippenham, Hungerford, Newbury, Devizes and Salisbury are excellent.". Few who live locally would agree with any of that other than the restaurants and pubs bit. For instance, according to my timetables, the last bus to Hungerford leaves Marlborough at 17:40 M to F; 13:35 on Saturday and there is no Sunday service. Would KVAT like reply and justify the above claim?

Then there is -

"The project has the backing of Waitrose Ltd (part of the John Lewis Partnership) who have agreed to provide a car park to serve Riverbank."

What this should really say is that Waitrose will be providing a car park (as you have correctly pointed out it is behind Hamptons) to replace the parking spaces that the theatre is taking from the town. For the record, would KVAT like to clarify what their statement actually means? After adding the new car park and taking away the ones they are building on, how many extra spaces will there be to serve a 300 seat theatre?

Regarding the contentious issue of tax payer's subsidy they simply say -

" Riverbank is planning to be financially viable with minimal dependence on the public purse."

Can KVAT please tell us what "minimal dependence" actually means? It was they who issued the figure of £60,000 loss. What is the forcasted loss now?

Rather than go on and on I shall finnish with this classic

"Although close to the M4 Corridor - and just over an hour from London by train - "

Now someone should tell KVAT that the last scheduled train from Marlborough left in about 1961 and never went anywhere near London (the line went north/south). This is just plain spin or are KVAT intending to re-open the railway line? KVAT, please let us know as I would support that!

The really scarey thing about their web site is that it looks as if it is made up from the material used when they made presentations to get backing. People in Bracknel do not know or care that Marlborough has terrible public transport but if KVAT say it is excellent it must be so. Significantly a theatre in such a small place as Marlborough needs excellent public transport if it is to succeed but just going around and telling everyone it has when we all know it hasn't is unforgivable.

I'd better sign off now before I get accused of whinging.

tracare · Chief stirrer

Well said

-- Edited by tracare at 20:29, 2005-03-09

Splodge · Veteran Member

Well this weeks G&H has arrived and guess what? No letter from KVAT regarding the previous weeks letter which questioned why the town needed 2 new theatres.

This comes as no surprise; when the Rugby Club were seeking permission to build their new clubhouse on the Common, it became a controversial issue. The committee members of the club were instructed not to join in any public debate on the issue, to keep their heads down and play for time as once planning permission had been granted no one could stop them. I get the feeling that KVAT are playing the same game. Unless KVAT join the debate on this forum soon maybe we could try to get the G&H to investigate these whinges and claims before it is too late - Mr Moderator, what do you think?

Have you all received the latest "Kennet Times"? [this is a publication of the District Council] The front page is dominated by an article from the Leader of the Council who points out that more and more national legislation is being implemented at District level but without them receiving adequate funding from the government. The net result is they are having to cut local services in order to implement national edicts. We are already seeing the effects in the closure of Marlborough's popular Tourist Information Centre and the plan to close the existing 3 public toilets in the town and replace them with 1 "super loo" in George Lane. But guess where this Super Loo will be? - would it be the new one incorporated into the Riverbank complex? I hope not as this is shown as only facilitating 4 ladies, 1 disabled and 3+2 men at any one time - surely smaller than any of the existing toilets. If it is not to be this one then it will hold some sort of record as it is scheduled to be closed before it is even built!!

Given the pressure on Kennet's purse why it is prepared to underwrite any losses this crazy venture may incur? Maybe your District Councillor knows? Maybe it is the price they are prepared to pay to get a new public toilet for the town! (Even though we do not need one)

The more I look into this project the more cynical I become so could I suggest Mr Moderator changes the options on the Theatre/Cinema poll to

Do you want a theatre/cinema complex which incorporates the only public toilet in the town?
Do you want no public toilets in the town?
Do you want to convert the empty TIC office into a public toilet, use the upstairs as a theatre and the school's new theatre as a cinema/concert hall?

Given the inaccurate statements being made on the Riverbank website; their reluctance to engage in open debate; the silence of Kennet District Council; my supposition about the Riverbank providing the new Super Loo" in Marlborough that KDC talk about - am I getting paranoid or do you get the feeling that we are not being told the whole truth about what is going on here?