ONE last-ditch effort to save the Redgrave from demolition was initiated at an upbeat launch of the Farnham Theatre Association on Saturday. Would-be theatregoers were joined by actors and councillors to pack the Farnham council chamber and hear from the association's chairman, Anne Cooper, that there is "one last chance" to make their voices heard to Waverley Council. Delays to the East Street development scheme have kept the JCBs at bay so far, but with Waverley attempting to inject more urgency into the regeneration project, time may be running out. The association's aim is convince the council, where past campaigns have failed, that there is mass support for restoring theatre in the town. And in a new move, it is intended to demonstrate to Waverley, through a business plan being professionally produced at a cost of £12,000, that theatre can be financially independent and not a drain on the council's finances. Ellis Nicholls, of the Farnham Theatre Association (FTA) committee, welcomed supporters including Abigail McKern from the professional theatre and husband and wife James Bolam and Susan Jameson, well-known from both stage and screen, James Bolam, a long-time supporter of the Save the Redgrave campaign, explained that he and his wife had appeared both together and separately in Redgrave productions. "I am so impressed by all the work that has obviously gone into this wonderful vision of reviving the theatre. It is a wonderful theatre to work with," he said. He referred to acting in the theatre as an experience you don't get anywhere else, in the cinema or television. "Everyone is there taking part in that experience and the play is never the same for two performances because the audience is different. "People are there together, listening and sharing this experience. It's unique, it's a treasure and worth fighting for." Other messages of support received were detailed by FTA committee member Marie King-Hele, with well-wishers including local MP Jeremy Hunt, Rector of Farnham Andrew Tuck, actors Malcolm Rennie and Tamara Ustinov, who are currently appearing in The Barber of Seville at Bristol Old Vic, and several members of the New Farnham Repertory Actors Company. Mayor of Farnham Michael Clark, welcoming those assembled to the council chamber, revealed: "The one thing I yearn for most is a theatre in Farnham. . . hopefully the rebranding will bring success." Anne Cooper urged that supporters of the Redgrave take the "one last chance" to really make themselves heard and produce something of real significance. "We need to show that we have support in sufficient numbers to contradict the theory that we do not want the theatre back," she said. Appealing for people to become members of the association and help spread the word, she stressed: "The town has had a tradition of theatre for 50 years and we feel that must continue." The Redgrave closed at a time when theatres across the nation were in difficulty, and although The Thorndike at Leatherhead closed at the same time, it was now reopening as a theatre, she pointed out. She referred to the popularity of drama studies among youngsters and the broad remit intended for the theatre - with facilities for education projects, business conferences and community events among others. "We do need to produce a full business plan to prove that the town can operate without local authority funding," said Mrs Cooper. The need was to raise £12,000 to fund the plan, and although this was a tremendous amount of money, help had been offered by Tindle Newspapers, she explained. Speaking to The Herald at the launch, John Levitt, the chairman of the Save London Theatres campaign, which has taken the plight of the Redgrave on board, said the new initiative had made him more optimistic than at any time during the past eight years. He paid tribute to Anne Cooper for her years of battling in a situation that had been complicated by local politics. "I think there is much more support for a theatre in the district than has been given credit for." Mr Levitt said the "terrific" auditorium was the only largish auditorium in the town and was broad and deep in its scope and could add to the town's facilities without being in competition with the Maltings. Also present at the launch were a handful of councillors who were prepared to nail their colours to the mast. Waverley member Michael Blower told The Herald: "I have worked almost incessantly to save that building. I am an architect, not a theatre expert, but having a theatre in our town is historically a fact and any town which has a theatre should be very proud of itself and to sustain it is a great wish of mine. "I am just very hopeful that good sense will prevail. There is no good reason that I can see on the plan to justify its demolition." Town and borough councillor Penny Marriott stressed the importance of showing mass support, and the difficulties arising from the fact that there are councillors from outside the Farnham area to be convinced. Her colleague, Carole Cockburn, commented: "The association wants the project to be self funding. If they can do that, they have my support. "I don't think it is an easy ride, but I think you have got to support a project that is full of ambition and imagination." Speaking this week, Sir Ray Tindle, proprietor of Tindle Newspapers, explained why he was willing to help make the drawing up of the business plan possible. "It is important that Farnham people should know whether a theatre would be viable in the town. I am glad that Anne Cooper has engaged a business consultant to report on this," he said. "In order to help, I said I would make up any shortfall, if there is one, in the sum required to achieve this viability report."