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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Kirsty Paterson

Future Falkirk stars in 'save our stage' plea as Town Hall petition reaches 5000 signatures

A petition urging Falkirk Council to rethink plans to close Falkirk Town Hall in December has surpassed 5000 signatures in less than a week.

And one group of Falkirk 's younger residents have made their feelings clear - even though they are not old enough to sign the petition.

Young members of Sunny Stars Drama have taken part in a video that the school's principal, Jennifer Marjoribanks, hopes will show just how much the venue means to her pupils.

Read more: Falkirk Town Hall could close after panto season before replacement is agreed

The drama group has taken part in Falkirk Tryst Festival every year since 2005.

Ms Marjoribanks said: "This show has given hundreds of children, aged from just four years old, the opportunity to perform in a professional theatre. The experience of taking part in a show like this is so important for children and young people.

"Having a venue which is able to host not only our show but those of all the other amateur groups from across the district is so important.

"The consultation on closing FTH by the end of the year has been rushed and local groups have been blindsided by the news."

The petition urges local people who have used the town hall (FTH) over the years to add their names in support of the venue.

It is being promoted by Falkirk Arts Network who are furious that the proposal to close the town hall comes before a replacement has been agreed.

It states: "Falkirk Town Hall has been at the heart of the community for over half a century but in just a few short months, it may disappear completely leaving Falkirk, a town already slowly dying, with one less amenity for its inhabitants."

Tomorrow (Wednesday), councillors will consider a report that has found it would cost £2.3 million to disentangle Falkirk Town Hall (FTH) from the Municipal Buildings which are currently being demolished, and require the complete closure of FTH for at least a year in 2023.

It will also mean spending another £2-4 million to keep the building operational for the next five years. Yet the council says the building would still not be fit for purpose or energy efficient.

Councillors will hear that the money spent on keeping FTH in place would reduce the budget for a replacement by £6 million - and it would mean the land could not be sold for another £5 million.

The council says that in order to get a new venue there is no choice but to close FTH and allow demolition to start.

It has pledged to work with groups to help them use alternative venues, including Grangemouth Town Hall (434 seat capacity), Bo’ness Town Hall (390 seat capacity), Dobbie Hall (476 seat capacity), The Sanctuary at Falkirk Trinity Church (240-440 seat capacity), as well as a number of the Council’s High Schools.

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