Could selling livestock and the performing arts work together in Thame?

THIS is one idea currently being put forward by the man behind the proposed re-siting of Thame cattle market to a bigger site on the Thame show ground.

Bob Williams, the Developer and main driver behind the proposed move, told ThameNews.Net that Arts centres on their own usually lose money and would therefore, probably not make good economic sense in Thame, but, he suggests, as has happened recently in Skipton, the current market arena could be very easily turned into a theatre space.

“At Skipton, they have set up The Mart Theatre with funding from the Arts Council and others, which provides a unique rural theatre, events and other facilities within what is a functioning Auction Mart -a transformation that takes place within a hour! The theatre addresses a local cultural as well as an economic need,” said Bob Williams.

The Mart Theatre, Skipton, is the only theatre placed in a working auction mart in the UK, and offers an experimental mixed programme of professional touring productions, workshops and events. It recently featured on the BBC Woman’s hour programme.

Bob Williams says that he believes that it would make sense to use the bar, toilets, cafe and the market arena itself in the evening, weekends and other times when the the auction mart is not being used.

For more information about The Mart Theatre, Skipton, visit: LINK

www.ccmauctions.com/theatreevents.asp