IN answer to the letter by I Barker (‘Theatre hope’, Warrington Guardian, March 9).

Did you attend the meeting at the Town Hall when a theatre for Warrington was being discussed?

Have you asked how the Parr Hall and the theatre in the Pyramid are holding up?

I attended the AGM.

They are lucky to be breaking even and that’s with outside subsidy.

There were two theatres in Warrington, one with the nickname of The Old Blood Tub.

It became The Palace cinema, a bingo hall and now is a nightclub.

The other was the Royal Court Theatre.

As a teenager I used to park cars in my uncle’s garage, the garage was called Theatre Garage, just around the corner from The Royal Court.

We charged one shilling for a car and two pence for a bike.

These were the days when you had to queue for an hour or so to see a film.

Then TV came along and with it went the cinemas and theatre.

With the total population in Warrington, the kind of shows you are talking about would not be sustainable.

Over the years I have placed many proposals for a theatre to the council.

In my mind it would have to serve as a centre and theatre, I have just proposed an extension to the community centre being used at the moment.

It could hold 200 seats and plenty of parking space.

Unfortunately, it’s not in the centre of town but on a very good bus route, most people when going to the theatre use a car or a taxi anyway.

There are many people who want a theatre for Warrington and so few who are prepared to do what is necessary.

Until they do the council will continue say it is not the correct time because of the financial climate.

ALF CLEMO Orford