THE decision to close Thornbury’s Armstrong Hall complex announced in the trustees’ recent press release has shocked and saddened many in the town, not least the Armstrong Arts Group, some of whom have spent the last 10 years raising funds to redevelop and improve the hall.

The importance of this vital facility to Thornbury cannot be overstated.

The Armstrong Hall is the only large performance hall in the area and supported by Thornbury Town Council for the last 30 years has facilitated a much admired thriving cultural scene.

The complex has been home to regular performances by local amateur dramatic companies, many youth theatrical productions, ‘world cinema’, not to mention the high profile Arts Festival, all of which have contributed to Thornbury’s reputation as a great place to live as well as providing valuable community involvement for young and old alike.

Covid has obviously contributed to the decision to close the halls but it must be the responsibility of councillors to help revive and regenerate our community post epidemic.

Instead the inhabitants of the town are faced with losing the facilities we already have, with the risk that Thornbury may become a cultural desert for years to come, in part due to the closure of these halls with no agreed plan for a suitable replacement in the near future.

A whole generation will miss out, Thornbury will become an ever growing collection of houses with no heart, few facilities, no events, no soul.

In spite of the difficulties, The Armstrong Arts Group intends to restart concerts in the autumn in whatever alternative venues it can find around the town, although fundraising for the Armstrong Hall will not now be its primary aim.

Contact armstrongartsgroupthornbury@gmail.com

We would urge councillors to be flexible, transparent and take another look at the finances, accept any offers from members of the local theatrical community who are keen to assist in getting the halls up and running and to appreciate that 30 years of Council support for the Armstrong Hall complex should continue in spite of recent difficulties.

Keeping the halls active for the next five years will allow Thornbury to rebuild its community activities and give time to develop a business plan for a suitable replacement of these vital facilities.

Joan Hawkins, Veronica Northam, Daphne Ashton, Barbara Ray, Liz Wilkins, Jane Parfitt, Michael Lunts, Penny Taylor and members of the Armstrong Arts Group