COMMUNITY groups in Stroud thinking of putting forward initial plans forward for the future of the Subscription Rooms have only a few days left to register their intent.

The deadline for the formal process of ‘expressing an interest’ need to be submitted by April 12.

The SNJ understands six groups have so far come forward to express their interest in taking over ownership of the arts venue from Stroud District Council (SDC).

The Sub Rooms is the only council-owned and run arts and entertainment facility in the district.

In October the council announced that it had to reduce the £400,000 annual costs associated with running the facility in order to meet financial pressures.

The three options to be considered by the council are: keeping the building under council control but with efficiency savings; allowing another organisation to run the Sub Rooms as a public arts and cultural facility; or selling the building on the open market.

The third option could mean the venue closes down – something campaigners in Stroud have shown their opposition to.

The council said it would prefer that “any solution should not only improve the cost effectiveness for the public but also seek to retain its availability to the public for cultural use.”

An SDC spokesman said: “An expression of interest is just that – to say you might be interested in running the Sub Rooms.

“We don’t require a detailed plan at this stage, and expressions of interest are not binding.”

Anyone with questions about the review can contact Stroud District Council via the email address: subrooms.review@stroud.gov.uk

More information is available on the council’s website www.stroud.gov.uk/subroomsreview