TAXPAYERS’ money has been set aside by Waverley Borough Council as they look to deal with anti-social behaviour in East Street.

Almost £20,000 has been earmarked to secure the Redgrave Theatre and The Marlborough Head sites following reports of dangerous and unruly behaviour at the two vacant buildings.

For the Redgrave, £5,000 has been put by to secure the site following a marked increase in anti-social behaviour.

Waverley will install measures identified in an Environmental Visual Audit conducted by Surrey Police, who have stepped up patrols in the area following an increase in noise, litter and criminal damage.

The measures will include establishing a secure fence line around the building to prevent entry into the building and access to the roof, as well as cutting back foliage around the site to increase visibility. 

A further £14,000 will be used to secure The Marlborough Head site - which poured its last pint in November - following ownership passing to the borough council.

The much-loved pub has since been boarded up and the entrances secured in order to protect the outside of the building and to prevent unauthorised access  

Waverley executive director Paul Wenham said: “In light of the anti-social behaviour in and around the site, it is essential that we act quickly in the interests of public protection and ensure that both the area around the former Redgrave Theatre and The Marlborough Head is secure. 

“Waverley is concerned about the impact that certain individuals are having on the community in East Street and are acting on information provided to us by the police.”

Leader of the council Julia Potts added that despite it being very disappointing tax payers’ money needed to be used to implement the measures, it was a necessary step to move forward with the Brightwells regeneration scheme.

As with most developments around the Brightwells development however, support for the council’s actions were not universal.

Anne Cooper, chairman of the Farnham Theatre Association (FTA), said Waverley was bringing more trouble upon itself.

“Having abandoned the Brightwells site for so many years, removed an active bowling club, emptied the tennis courts, boarded up a listed building, a theatre and now a thriving pub, they have created an invitation to vandals to create mayhem with even further costs to the tax payer,” she added.

The FTA chair has long campaigned for The Redgrave to be reinstated as a performing arts venue as part of the Brightwells scheme and was fearful of more delays moving forward.

She continued: “The East Street area will suffer further blight and a better future for the Brightwells community assets postponed indefinitely. 

“The loss to local trade must be enormous over so many years and the tax payer is now expected to bear most of the costs of this ill-devised scheme.”