Russell Brand calls on Thurrock Council to save Thameside Theatre

The comedian and actor Russell Brand has lent his support to save the local theatre he once performed at as a child.

Brand told an audience at the Thameside Theatre in Grays, Essex, that Thurrock Council had "lost its path".

Thurrock Council is looking at the building's future as it deals with a £469m budget back hole.

The Conservative-run council said: "No decision on the future of the Thameside Complex has yet been made."

During a day-long event on Monday at the Thameside complex, owned by the council and home to a theatre, museum and library, Brand said saving the theatre would be "an opportunity to change the perception of Thurrock Council at a vital time".

The council's debt is largely due to it borrowing hundreds of millions to invest in companies financing solar energy.

It has asked the government for help and spending cuts are expected as well as selling off its assets.

"Thurrock Council is currently assessing business cases from bidders which have expressed an interest in the property," a spokesman said.

Brand said: "The spirit of this event, good humour aside, is not about the recrimination or condemnation or engaging the typical political arguments that create a kind of ossified oppositionism, this is about creating a situation where passionate members of the community can continue to use this asset to benefit the very community that it was created to serve."

It had "lost its path investing in ideas that have not yielded fruit", he said.

The comic, who was born in Grays, told the audience: "We simply want one thing: the Thameside Theatre be handed over to the Save Thameside Campaign."

Neil Woodbridge, who was bidding to run the venue as a community enterprise, said due to the debt there was a "question mark" over whether they would be successful.

Brand said: "There are some values that transcend financial and economic ones.

"Look at what the pursuit of financial goals has done to Thurrock Council, all these moody deals with solar panels and we ain't see the light of day yet!"

The comic phoned senior councillors and Thurrock Council officers live on stage.

Conservative councillor Shane Ralph went on stage after he was called.

"I want this theatre to stay here," he said. "I didn't want this to be brought down or anything.

"The chance it could be saved by anybody for me is a positive.

"I would love it to be a community asset. But what I want to know is in 10 years' time, is it still going to be viable?"

The opposition Labour leader on the council, John Kent, said an alternative bid to turn Thameside into a college was "a red herring".

Andrea Ince, involved in promoting the pantomime, said: "It's very sad because it's important for the community.

"There's lots of artists around here that started their life as performers on that Thameside theatre stage, it's important it's here to give that chance to other people."

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