The Secombe Theatre won’t be welcoming concert goers anytime soon after the group fighting to save it refocused efforts elsewhere.

Last year the venue on Cheam Road closed down after the Sutton Theatre Trust went into administration.

The 'Sutton Secombe Theatre Revival' group was subsequently established and they proposed a “community run venture” to bring the venue back to life.

In August, Tony Monblat, founder of the group, told Sutton Guardian that he was even “more optimistic” about reopening the Secombe after attending the Carshalton Environmental Fair.

However, Mr Monblat's ambition for an arts venue in Sutton is still alive and he has changed the name of the group to the ‘Sutton Venue Working Group’.

He wrote on their social media page last month: “It was agreed to change the focus of the group from reopening the Secombe to instead promoting the eventual successful opening of the council's planned 'cultural hub' in Sutton town centre.

“The proposed cultural hub is still many years away of course (at least five, we reckon), but we can play a role in ensuring that the plans are taken forward in a way the community is happy with.”

Sutton Guardian reported this week that a motion was passed for the Secombe Theatre to be used by the Sutton Night Watch Homeless charity on a temporary bases.