Proposals that Taunton Deane council should have a policy for the future of the former Gaumont cinema received unanimous support following a presentation to the Overview and Scrutiny last year, however following the advice of council officers, the Executive did not accept the recommendations of that committee. It is hoped that new advice from government supported bodies will encourage them to change their minds.
That is not the case, there are numerous examples of similar buildings which have been converted to Pentecostal chapels, and there is currently an application for permission to change such a building to a mosque. Somerset County Council have in the past considered the possibility of acquiring the building for use as a library. It is hard to understand how a library comes within existing permitted uses, and presumably Somerset CC also believe that there is sufficient wiggle room in the regulations to make that possibility feasible.
Project Gaumont have now secured an invitation to make a formal presentation to the Community Scrutiny Committee of Taunton Deane council on 2nd March at 6.15 pm. This will be an open meeting at which members of the public, whether supportive of Project Gaumont’s proposals or opposed to them, are invited to attend.
The Project Gaumont presentation ask the committee to support the following proposals and to forward them to the Executive:
In view of the support and advice from the National Campaign for the Arts, the Theatres Trust, and the Cinema Theatres Association, this committee strongly recommends:
- That this council establishes a policy for the future of the Mecca Bingo building in Corporation Street as a Centre for Entertainment within the Cultural Quarter of the town centre redevelopment plan.
- That this council will work with and assist any organisation wishing to provide additional facilities for arts and entertainment in Taunton.
- That an officer be appointed to liaise with the Project Gaumont group to develop ideas for the Mecca Bingo building as a project in parallel with the Brewhouse project team.
The proposal will be preceded by statements from supporting Taunton arts associations, and followed by statements from representatives of the supporting national arts groups.
Taunton Deane council’s current policy for the future of theatres in Taunton is to upgrade or replace the Brewhouse. They have not however considered the £500,000 per annum which is the typical cost of subsidising a new 600 seat theatre, and it is not clear where the estimated £25 million cost of such a project could be found.
The council have no policy at present for the Mecca Bingo building either as a bingo club or as a permanent centre for arts and entertainment including bingo. They are relying on what Project Gaumont believe to be a seriously flawed consultant’s report, and it is highly unlikely that funding for the Gaumont project will be available from the council despite the fact that the cost would probably be less than half of the Brewhouse replacement cost, and that the Gaumont could mount productions to full West End standards.
The Executive of Taunton Deane council have refused to consider the possibility that there should be a policy for the future of the Gaumont as part of the town centre redevelopment plan, and senior officers in the council have refused to allow a Project Gaumont presentation to be made at a dull council meeting. Project Gaumont includes representatives of Taunton’s major performing arts groups.
The Project Gaumont Group believe that a lyric theatre capable of staging productions to full West End standards, and could be viable as a privately funded business in the town. Such a theatre could operate without subsidy from the council, and would provide productions which complement those staged at the Brewhouse.