Letter: Save The Electric – Before It’s Too Late

Published on: 17 Nov, 2015
Updated on: 17 Nov, 2015

From Gilly Fick

I am utterly appalled at the way in which Guildford Borough Council has mis-managed, misrepresented and misled the residents of Guildford. The Electric Theatre was established by the community for the community and it should remain as a community theatre.

Well done GATA [Guildford Amateur Theatre Association] and thank you to this newspaper for providing a vital local platform on which to expose exactly what’s happening.

I don’t suppose that any of the working party will be going along to see the very good show that will be playing in the theatre this week from a GATA company – the ‘working party’ are far too busy refining their pre-conceptions and working on their (not so hidden now) agenda.

Save The Electric – before it’s too late!

Responses to Letter: Save The Electric – Before It’s Too Late

Pauline Surrey Reply

November 22, 2015 at 12:59 pm

Well done, Gilly Fick, and all other Guildburys, for their full house production of Jamaica Inn at the Electric Theatre. It was an excellent production, as ever, which could rival many professional productions in have seen over the years. We were lucky to get two of the last remaining tickets for last night.

Page 6 of the Beckwith Report (available on the GBC website) into the Electric Theatre says that:

“A low hire cost enables amateur groups to produce shows that members choose to perform in rather than shows that have maximum attraction to a wider audience. There is an argument that if a group chose to put on a production attractive to the performers they would still attract an audience as family and friends would continue to buy tickets. This may not, however, be the type of show that the council would choose to prioritise to subsidise.”

You cannot tell me that everyone who filled the theatre for the performances of Jamaica Inn were only family and friends. And this play was a fine choice of drama which would surely engage younger citizens to get interested in the theatre, and thus enrich their future lives.

Please read the Beckworth Report. It is interesting and shocking in parts. See above quote, and the paragraph that follows it.

I am very willing to pay for the Electric Theatre out of our Council Tax. A subsidy of only £1.85 per resident of Guildford per year. Less than a cup of tea or a half pint of beer.