Venue clarifications (From Your Local Guardian)

Venue clarifications

12:44pm Thursday 13th November 2008 in

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Regarding your Sutton Festival article Sutton Guardian October 30, I would like to point out that you missed out an important venue in the history of the Sutton Music Festival, one of which is very dear to my heart.

You mention Sutton public hall, Sutton High and Cheam High, before settling at Overton Grange.

However, in the mid to late 1970s the festival was held at the then named Sutton College of Liberal Arts when the new library was built.

I recall it vividly; walking through those doors, the room, the position of the piano and the adjudicator, the audience layout.

My grandparents, Mark and Sylvia Robinson, had much to do with the organisation as I recall living there at weekends and my grandma even being involved with the catering.

One year, I won five cups at the Kingston music festival (including the 15 years recital cup when I was only 11) and over the few years I entered the Sutton Festival, I won 13 medals for piano. I do recall it being at a school once. Out of Sutton, Merton, Kingston and Chichester festivals, Sutton was definitely the one with the highest standards and the toughest competition.

But the music festival definitely took place at the then new SCOLA and did not jump from school to school (I went to Sutton High School myself 1977 and the music festival never once took place there while I was there, although it may well have moved there after SCOLA) as implied by your article.

SANDRA PETERS
Sutton