A group in Sutton is proposing a “community run venture” to help re-open the Secombe Theatre.

The 396-seater venue on Cheam Road closed in 2016 after the trust that took over venue from Sutton Council in 2014 went into administration.

One year since its closure, Sutton Secombe Theatre Revival is now calling on the borough’s community to manage the theatre themselves.

Tony Monblat, a founder of the group, told Sutton Guardian: “We are sure there is demand for a theatre in Sutton, if it is properly tuned into the local community and is able to establish itself as a cherished part of the borough's social fabric.

“Other boroughs across the country have been successful in running their theatre community-run ventures. There is no reason why we can’t.

“I think it is an important part of the town’s fabric. It helps people deal with things like loneliness by going to a local community centre and theatre.”

The group will operate a stall at the Carshalton Environmental Fair on August 28 which will mark the next phase of their plans.

“At the fair we will have more details of other theatres in Britain that had to close but were then re-opened as community run ventures. We will show how they did it and how we could too,” Tony said.

“We are looking for people who have the expertise to not necessarily run a theatre, but to be able to run a business, we are sure such people exist in the borough. It will help residents in the community and we also want people who could help in smaller but important ways.”

A public meeting is also being planned for September where people can sign up and discuss ways forward.

Asked about how optimistic he was about getting the Secombe re-opened, Tony said: “I think I’m fairly hopeful. I wouldn’t want to say I’m absolutely sure but I’m pretty hopeful. We are very determined.”

He added: “We are fairly sure that the expertise is there in the form of enablers and activists. Once they see the opportunity they will hopefully step up and help to do something.”

MP for Sutton & Cheam, Paul Scully, noted that it would be difficult to re-open the theatre although he believes it is worth trying to. 

He said: "I think if we can find a sustainable way of keeping the theatre open in Sutton then it is good for the borough.  

"It will be tough to set up as I understand it. I know the guy who is behind the group is concerned about this but he has done a very good job in raising awareness. What we need at this stage is someone with a concrete plan that works.

"This has been a while now and the council seem to have almost given up on it. A lot of investment will have to be made to make it sustainable but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth doing as we do need a cultural offering in the borough."

Sutton Council own the premises.

A spokesman in 2016 said: “We are now carefully reviewing expressions of interest we have received to be certain they are viable as we are no longer able to subsidise theatre provision or the buildings in question.

"The council remains committed to encouraging and enabling a diverse range of arts and cultural activity in the borough which will soon be set out in our cultural strategy.”   

The borough's council told Sutton Guardian that the above statements remains applicable today. 

You can track updates via the revival group’s Facebook page, Sutton Secombe Theatre Revival.