Press Release

May 2007

 

 

Sailors support the Theatre Royal

The Grand Shiek Graeme Green and Shiek in Charge of Vice Alan Chinner of the Sailors Beware tent of Hyde attended an open public meeting at Hyde Town Hall on Monday 14th May regarding the saving and re-opening of the Theatre Royal in Hyde. The theatre is a beautiful Edwardian Grade II listed building built in 1902. Many famous people have graced its stage over the years, not least of which our very own Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.

Theatre Royal Onward, a local group with charitable status who have been fighting to save the theatre, called a public meeting to increase awareness and gain support for their plans. Well over 200 people demonstrated a genuine demand for the scheme in Hyde. In the audience wearing their bowler hats our duo were asked in the open questions and answer session about their interest. Graeme answered that as an official Sons of the Desert tent in Hyde, Sailors Beware fully supported the project and would be very keen to see the Boys films screened at the venue and maybe a weekend convention of some sort in the future. The idea was warmly welcomed by the panel.

The theatre was recently purchased by a developer who may have been unaware of its listed status. He is now in talks with Theatre Royal Onward regarding the possibility of the group taking over the running of the theatre under a lease-purchase agreement, safeguarding its future for everyone.

More about the theatre at www.hydetheatreroyal.co.uk