An Angus community group is busy finalising ambitious plans for a new performance area but needs help with its final push.
A vision that has bridged generations of Forfar Dramatic Society members has been laid out for a new studio, rehearsal area and full modernisation of its ageing clubrooms.
Members unveiled plans for a complete revamp of the Castle Street rooms to an invited audience and the community have been asked to do their bit to help give the town its first dedicated performance space.
President Ewan Philip welcomed guests and said it is the club’s dream to rival spaces such as the Abbey Theatre in Arbroath and the Dibble Tree Theatre in Carnoustie.
Property convener Martin McKay said he joined the club in 1987 but the dream predated his joining by some time.
“The club used to rehearse in rooms above the Osnaburg Bar until 1969 when it moved here,” he said.
“Since then it’s always been a dream to change our fairly sparse clubrooms at the time into a small space so we can put on plays here.”
Tours of the clubrooms as they are now, with some of the preparatory work already being undertaken, were given by David Allen and Graham Hewitson.
Mr McKay said the redevelopment, which is still in the planning stages, would be available for any like-minded group in the area, subject to an entertainment licence being granted.
As property convener he inherited a well maintained building, he said.
“What I also inherited, sadly, was an estimate from (energy provider) SSE for just under £7,000 to pay for increased power to come in, if we wanted to change our clubrooms to a small theatre,” Mr McKay added.
“The estimates also extended to a hole outside to access cable … and we’d have to pay VAT on top of that. It kind of stopped us dead in our tracks and we had to rethink all our plans.”
An electrician set to work estimating what the clubhouse actually needed and wrote to SSE, which dropped its estimate to just over £2,000 including VAT.
For more information visit www.forfardramatic.com.