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Government urged to honour funding for theatre

BBC An aerial view of a big beige brick building with a grey roof, situated next to the waterfront. Lots of cars are parked in the car park. There are many red-brick houses on the horizon. BBC
The Lighthouse Theatre, which is impacted by the funding, is housed in Kettering Leisure Village

A petition has been started to urge the government to uphold its commitment to provide cultural development funding to a local theatre.

The Lighthouse Theatre in Kettering, Northamptonshire, was to receive a portion of the £5m in funding pledged to North Northamptonshire Council by the Conservative government, but the money will no longer be provided.

A Labour Party spokesperson said the government had "to make some tough choices to stabilise our economy".

Mike Balderson, who works at the Kettering Conference Centre which houses the theatre, said: "This funding is essential to support the long-term economic sustainability of the theatre."

A man in a black T-shirt with "The Lighthouse Theatre" written on it, stands in front of a black lorry by the side of the theatre. He is unsmiling.
Mike Balderson says the government funding was "essential" for the theatre

'Devastating culturally and economically'

Mr Balderson, who began the petition, said a loss of financial support would be “devastating both culturally and economically" to theatre.

He and the other petitioners asked the government to reconsider the decision and honour the funding commitment it made to the Lighthouse Theatre and "protect the cultural and community benefits it provides".

Jason Smithers, a Conservative councillor and the leader of North Northamptonshire Council, said he intended to "make the strongest case possible" and would also "urge" the government to reconsider its funding withdrawal.

A spokesperson from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: "This government inherited £22bn of unfunded spending commitments, and we have therefore been forced to make the difficult decision to review these previously announced projects."

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