i went on a recent trip across london to a theatre space in battersea power station called ‘arches lane theatre.’ it was a small stage under railway arches. the journey took about an hour during a day with no piccadilly line and a bus strike. but i still made the journey as the event was a preview show for a comedians tour that i liked. whilst there i looked around the battersea shopping centre. rows of shops that you could get anywhere in an impressive hall. i ate a meal at one of the many restaurants and grabbed a coffee at one of the many cafes. all good.

the show was great and a bargain for ten pounds. but a shadow was hanging over the evening. the theatre was going to close to be replaced by another restaurant. the theatre folk didn’t want to leave and had started a petition to wandsworth council. following the no notice decision. yet again we are going to lose an important space. when councils or authorities or management come to these decisions it is always for short-sighted reasons. they think: we can make more money doing a restaurant than having a theatre. they do not see they will remove the reason for me going there. that a restaurant will lose a group buying a meal. a cafe will lose people buying coffees. my reason for crossing london to go to battersea would have gone. i have theatres nearer me and there are restaurants aplenty. the shopping experience i can get many other places closer to me. my journeys to battersea will come to an end.

but it is not just the financial impact closing a small theatre can have on an area. there is another impact as well. it impacts up-and-coming creatives, performers, artists. when starting out they need these smaller venues to try out their material and see if it works. provide an opportunity to develop a show and refine skills. smaller venues are more affordable in a time when government continues to underfund the arts despite the money the creative industry brings to gdp. quite often creatives are producing shows at loss. they are funding the work through other day jobs. they make the art despite the lack of support. what do we the punter get? we get to see new and emerging talent. maybe something no one else is yet doing. even possibly a new star in the making. but all of this will be lost if small venues continue to close due to short-sighted authorities.

i manage a bookshop and small arts events space. we can hold about an audience of thirty. the premises are run as a cooperative and we go out of our way to support creatives who want to develop a show. we are always willing to listen to an idea. we dont make a lot of money out of it. we do it because such spaces are important. not just for us but for future creatives. for everyone.