I read with much dismay and sadness that the council are planning to close the Charles Cryer Theatre, Secombe Theatre and Wallington Hall and offer them up to developers. 

Many of the productions performed there are of a very high standard.   The Carshalton Pantomime Company’s two-week pantomime held at the Secombe Theatre I believe is usually sold out for every performance and makes money for local charities.       

Most of the local theatre companies use the theatres, with some coming from other boroughs - Merton and Croydon - to perform there because their own boroughs can’t offer them the facilities they want.  

The Warehouse Theatre in Croydon having already been destroyed.  

The Wallington Hall is an old building as is the Secombe Theatre having once been a church, but the Charles Cryer Theatre was purpose built and opened by Prince Edward, in place of the old Carshalton Hall, and must have cost the council a lot of money.  

I read that the Whitehall, Honeywood Museum and Little Holland House have been granted protection as buildings of historical importance, but surely a lovely building like the Charles Cryer Theatre should also be granted protection.

If savings HAVE to be made then I would say close the Secombe and Wallington Hall, but PLEASE may we save the Charles Cryer Theatre.   For it to be taken over by developers and demolished would, in my opinion, be a great tragedy.

Penelope Ayliffe

Carshalton

 


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