TENACIOUS campaigners for restoration of the Redgrave Theatre are demanding to know why theatre was not among the options included in the second stage of public consultations over the Farnham Healthcheck. In a move described by healthcheck steering group chairman Robin Crawford as "a picket", campaigner Pat Larke decided to carry out her own consultation alongside those officially canvassing opinions at a series of healthcheck road shows last month. Mrs Larke, with the help of a few like-minded Redgrave enthusiasts, managed a presence at almost all of the 13 road shows around the town. The result, she told The Herald, was a total of 391 signatures to the statement: "We, the undersigned, think that the Redgrave Theatre should have been included on the list of choices available." "I was not able to ask everybody, but I had very few refusals," said Mrs Larke, who has also sent lobbying letters to every member of Farnham Town Council and every member of the healthcheck steering group. She explained that she decided to act after being told that theatre was not being included in the second stage of consultations because only four members of the public showed any interest in the subject during the first stage. Mrs Larke's co-campaigner, Anne Cooper, said they found this particularly puzzling in view of the public's past support for reopening the Redgrave. In 1999 more than 5,000 people signed a petition for the cause. And in 2002, when SMR coducted a survey about the East Street regeneration and people were asked their major concern, the loss of the Redgrave came second only to worries about multi-storey buildings. Mrs Larke and Mrs Cooper questioned how these supporters could have "vanished into thin air". The healthcheck has identified a cinema as among the public's top priorities and it is anticipated that a cinema will feature in the East Street redevelopment. Mrs Cooper pointed out, however, that a seven-screen facility is due to be provided at Aldershot within the next two years. She questioned whether a two-screen cinema at Farnham would be viable in the circumstances, unless it could be combined with theatre. "A purpose-built cinema could not work as a theatre, but a theatre can work as a cinema, giving customers multi use and flexibility. What is more, it's there waiting to be used. Another easily provided result at minimal cost - isn't that what it's all about?" agreed Mrs Larke. The campaigner passed the signatures she had collected to Farnham Town Mayor Sheila Scrivens, who passed them to the healthcheck steering group. The group, however, replied that it would not change its action proposals, but would pass the signatures to the chief executive of Waverley Council, for consideration in connection with the East Street development. The Redgrave did not emerge as "an important issue" from the people of Farnham in the early part of the healthcheck. "That is why it was not included in the major measures, which had evidence of considerable support, put forward at the various roadshows," said Col Crawford, the chairman of the Healthcheck steering group, And he told The Herald: "The fact is that we started off originally asking people all sorts of questions about Farnham. We had several thousand replies, but only four said they wanted to see the Redgrave back, whereas the case for a cinema was quite overwhelming. "We have to go by the facts and that is what happened." Mrs Larke is now considering her next move - a question to Waverley's executive about what notice it will take of the 391 signatures she has gathered.
