Two theatres in region added to at risk register
Two theatres in the region have been named on a theatres at risk register, highlighting concerns over their future.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Two theatres in the region have been added to a national list of venues at risk of permanent closure. The Mechanics Institute in Swindon and the Amulet Theatre in Shepton Mallet are among 39 venues named on this year's Theatres at Risk Register, which marks its 20th anniversary.
The register, compiled by the Theatres Trust, highlights venues that still have the potential to be revived but face an uncertain future. According to the trust, the list is a positive step because it brings communities together with decision makers. Many venues on the register are owned or were previously funded by local authorities, and the listing can help galvanise local support.
Both theatres in the region have been on the list since last year. The Amulet Theatre in Shepton Mallet has been closed to the public since 2006, and campaigners are now trying to raise money to buy the venue and secure its future. A campaigner described the building, built in 1975, as "relatively easy to reopen" and get back into community use.
Over the past two decades, 196 theatres have been listed on the register, and 80 of them have been saved. Actress Siobhan Redmond, a passionate supporter of theatres, visited a venue that reopened last year following a community campaign. She said theatres transformed her childhood and broadened her horizons, and she hopes that some of the at-risk venues will soon be back in operation to give local communities opportunities for celebration and consolation.
The report noted that the register offers hope to venues facing tough financial times, and campaigners believe shining a spotlight on these theatres will give many of them a chance for a new encore.
On screen
Stills are sampled automatically at 60-second intervals. Where shown, the still is the nearest available frame from the relevant broadcast segment and is included to show what was on screen during that part of the broadcast. A still may not correspond to the exact second of a quoted phrase.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | ITV |
|---|---|
| The Theatres at Risk Register lists 39 theatres this year, including the Mechanics Institute in Swindon and the Amulet Theatre in Shepton Mallet; over 20 years, 196 theatres have been listed and 80 saved. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV News West Country focused on the local impact of the Theatres at Risk Register, highlighting the two regional venues and the community efforts to save them. The report struck a hopeful tone, emphasising the register's role in galvanising support and featuring a success story of a reopened theatre. It also included a celebrity endorsement from actress Siobhan Redmond to underscore the cultural value of theatres.
- “The theatres at risk register is a really positive step for many theatres because it brings communities together with decision makers.”
- “It was last used as a theatre in 2006 and hasn't been open to the public really since then.”
- “Theatre transformed my childhood, it broadened my horizons, it sparked my imagination, it opened up a whole world of possibilities to me.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.