Campaigners turn up pressure in Taunton Gaumont bid

A NEW group pressing for Taunton’s former Gaumont Theatre – now Mecca Bingo – to be turned into a multi-purpose entertainment venue is increasing its pressure on Taunton Deane Council.

Project Gaumont, led by retired salesman and theatre enthusiast Jim Laflin, says it has received a letter of support from the planning authority, Taunton Deane Council.

The group now wants the council to adopt a formal policy on the historic building, which once hosted concerts by groups like The Beatles, to ensure it would continue as an entertainment venue, should Rank ever chose to relocate.

Project Gaumont says it wants to work with building owner Rank, which successfully operates Mecca Bingo there.

The group proposes a £multi-million investment by Rank to turn the building into an arts and entertainment centre with a 1,500-seat theatre, bingo hall, youth club, roof restaurant, art gallery, bars, cafes, a small casino, and a covered outdoor arena on Castle Green capable of hosting concerts with an audience of 5,000 people.

Members say making the building multi-purpose would increase its profitability.

Mr Laflin said: “We believe Rank would be the perfect company to implement Project Gaumont’s proposals.

“The new centre would complement the Brewhouse theatre and would show productions such as Lloyd-Webber musicals, opera, ballet and star performers.

“The outside arena would attract international names like Barry Manilow, Beyoncé, Bon Jovi and Neil Diamond.”

The group has received a letter from Cllr Fran Smith, Taunton Deane Council portfolio holder for economic development, saying the authority supports the proposal in principle, with some reservations about its viability.

Council leader Ross Henley told the County Gazette: “It’s a listed building with a planning condition as an entertainment venue. That gives the building the necessary protection it requires.”

A Rank spokesman said: “We would be happy for Mr Laflin to submit his proposals to us and we would give them our consideration.”

Article by Alex Cameron from the Somerset County Gazette
http://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/taunton_news/4524193.Campaigners_turn_up_pressure_in_Taunton_Gaumont_bid/

Taunton Deane Council Supports New Entertainment Centre

The Project Gaumont group came one step nearer this week to their long term aim of seeing the old Gaumont cinema,  now Mecca Bingo,  re-opened as an entertainment centre in Taunton. The group has had the support of all party leaders on Taunton Deane Council for some time,  but a letter from newly appointed Economic Development Portfolio holder Councillor Fran Smith has confirmed that the council now officially supports the group.

The long term objectives of the group are that the old Gaumont building should be turned into an Arts and Entertainment Centre with a 1,500 seat theatre,  a covered outdoor arena capable of putting on concerts for an audience of 5,000 people,  a youth club,  a roof restaurant,  an art gallery,  bars,  cafés and possibly a small casino.

It is envisaged that the present Bingo Club would be re-housed.  This might be into a restored ballroom in the building,  however the Rank Group who own the building have in the past expressed interest in the possibility of re-locating their bingo club to a new location in Taunton if one can be found.  (07.12.09 – Current plans are for the bingo hall to relocate to a different area within the Gaumont Theatre) Rank are a major player in the international leisure market but their business has been hit by increased taxes and their Bingo members  are among the worst hit be the effects of the recession.  We believe that they would be the perfect company to implement Project Gaumont’s proposals.

Jim Laflin,  the founder of the group,  said that the proposed Entertainment Centre could compliment the Brewhouse theatre.  He envisages that the Brewhouse would continue to show production for audiences up to 350,  and the restored Gaumont theatre would show productions such as Lloyd-Webber musicals,  opera,  ballet and star performers.  In addition to that  a covered outside arena with a stage and capacity for up to 6,000 5,000 (edited 07.12.09) patrons would attract international star performers.  Jools Holland and Elton John have both attracted audiences in excess of 5,000 in the town,  and Jim believes that a concert arena set up as proposed could attract performers like Barry Manilow,  Beyoncé,  Bon Jovi,  Neil Diamond and Susan Boyle to Taunton.  He believes that some people coming to see productions at the Entertainment Centre would stay for a few days and might also go to see productions at the Brewhouse.

The arena could also be big enough to attract productions such as Britain’s Got Talent and Strictly Come Dancing to the town.  Neither of these attractions come to any West Country location at the present time.

Jim’s plan is that the Project Gaumont group,  which includes members from some of the major Taunton amateur arts groups and has the support of virtually every other arts group in Somerset,  will go to the Rank Group with a proposal which shows that there is public demand for such an entertainment centre,  and that such a centre could be a very profitable business.  Official support of the council will form a critical part of any proposal and the letter received this week from Cllr Smith is a step in that direction.  At the present time the council have no formal policy for the Gaumont building,  and with falling attendances at bingo,  it is possible that the building could fall into the hands of property speculators.  Jim believes that the council should have a formal policy for the future of the Gaumont building as a place of entertainment and should encourage the present owners to redevelop the building for that purpose.

In addition to the obvious attractions for people living in Taunton and Somerset,  a restored Gaumont could provide in the region of 150 pleasant and interesting new jobs in the town and it would be a major tourist attraction.  It would also be a major factor in the competition to attract companies considering relocation to the West Country to Taunton.

Prior to his retirement,  Jim was a very successful computer system salesman,  and judging by his plans for the Gaumont he could sell this concept to the Rank Group.  The Gazette wishes him every success and is pleased to support his campaign.

We do not accept that the council has the right to refuse to hear petitions from the public. We believe that we have the support of the majority of ordinary Taunton Deane councillors, and our present thoughts are that this refusal has been led by senior council officers and supported by certain portfolio holders on the Taunton Deane executive. We are now trying to reverse this decision. We are working on a campaign to achieve this end, and your members can help us.

Many of your members will get visits in the next few weeks from candidates seeking their support in the forthcoming County Council elections, and this is one of the vary rare occasions when politicians will actually listen to what the public say.

Somerset Arts and U3A groups who have already signed up to supporting the redevelopment of the Taunton Gaumont as an Arts and Leisure Centre have in excess of 3,000 members. If I were to persue all of those groups who supported the concept verbally when I spoke to them on the telephone, the number of signed up supporters would probably increase to 10,000.

So at this point I am asking all of those groups who support the campaign, to put the following request out to all of their members.

Please ask all political canvassers for their views on a Tier 1 theatre for Taunton and Somerset.

You will find that most of them will say that they support the idea – politicians will say anything if they think that there is a vote in it, and in many cases the thought will fly out of their head the minute they leave your doorstep

Please take it further. Ask them what they personally can do to further the cause. Ask them who they can talk to who might support our campaign. Ask them if they are aware that Somerset County Council are preparing

A Cultural Strategy for Somerset

Ask them if they have access to the group doing that work. Ask them if they are prepared to address that group on your behalf. Ask them where the work of that group can be seen.

Make them think about the possibilities. In addition to bringing productions to West End standards to Somerset which was my objective when I started this campaign, the proposed multi-faceted Arts and Entertainment Centre will bring approximately 150 new and pleasant jobs to the area. It will bring musical productions typically having crews of between 50 and 100 who all need B&B and food while they are performing in the area. If the proposed arena is available, then stars like Kylie Minogue, Leona Lewis, Barry Manilow and Elton John will bring thousands of visitors into the area. The economic benefit of this proposal to Somerset is immense.

And finally, tell them that members of the Taunton Project Gaumont Group are considering standing against any party or politician in the local elections in May of next year, if they believe that party or politician has not given full support to the Gaumont redevelopment scheme.

If enough people raise these points on the doorstep, the redevelopment of the Gaumont as an Arts and Leisure Centre for Taunton and Somerset will become politically important, and the politicians would be well advised to take notice of the public’s thoughts on this matter.

Our campaign needs publicity. The Project Gaumont Group are working on this at present, but if supporting groups and their members write to local newspapers, this could be a tremendous help. If one in every 100 supporting members would write to a local newspaper in the next 12 months, that would saturate the press, and it would enable the group to raise the project as a major issue at the next local government election which is just one year away.

The imminence of the local elections means that we are very strong favourites to win this fight if we put some effort into it. It we don’t take this opportunity, it will be five years before the opportunity will come up again.