Concern over Thornbury venue Armstrong Hall closure

The group worries the change will affect its audience

A theatre group fears it has lost its "spiritual home" because its main performance venue has not reopened following the pandemic.

Thornbury Musical Theatre Group is performing at the Olympus Theatre in nearby Filton while Armstrong Hall remains closed.

The group worry the change will affect their audience and focus on being a local Thornbury-based group.

"It is very frustrating," said group member Andy Hunt.

"We have been going for more than 50 years, putting on a variety of musicals," he said.

"Until lockdown, we regularly performed at the Armstrong Hall, which was our spiritual home."

Mr Hunt said it was important community facilities were preserved in the South Gloucestershire town, especially considering the high volume of housebuilding in the area.

In an open letter signed by 250 people earlier this year, locals called on Thornbury Town Council to help them reopen the venue.

However, a council spokesperson said: "The town council as a corporate body is the trustee of the Armstrong Hall Trust, but this is entirely separate to the role and responsibilities of the town council as a local authority.

"The management of the Armstrong Hall Trust must be kept entirely separate from the business of the town council."

Despite concerns over the location of their new venue, the group have been excited to put on Sister Act at the Olympus Theatre, which ran from Wednesday to Saturday.