Theatre could transform our town’s fortunes

In Ashford at the moment we have the luxury of a redundant Odeon cinema - still I believe with many of its grand features intact and it also has a very useful car park close by [‘Plan for bingo hall site set to be revealed soon’, Kentish Express, January 7].

Yet we have a council leader who wants to demolish it although he does promise us something exciting in its place.

Ashford at the moment has lost its two main shopping attractions, large stores that will, I fear, never be replaced; these two stores alone drew many people into the town.

Now the comment I hear sadly so many times is ‘what’s the point of going into Ashford, it’s lost any attraction it once had’.

Now a theatre could change all of that - just think what trade our many food outlets could enjoy both before and after the shows.

Cllr Gerry Clarkson has stated many times ‘cinemas don’t make good theatres’, well, before he makes a big mistake, why not contact Sevenoaks District Council to find out how it changed its redundant Odeon into the lovely Stag Theatre?

At the moment, if we wish to see a live show it’s over to Canterbury - why does Ashford have to be the poor relation and go without a decent attraction, or do we have to make do with a multi-storey car park that changes colour at night?

Chris Chamberlain

■ Please can we continue to think carefully about our very precious town centre.

From the ‘early plans’ drawing I can see, thankfully and with relief, the layout of our high street remains the way it is; the facade of the Odeon is still in place with its five windows and other architectural gems (please look closely).

So as to continue not to spend too much money, I think we would be wise to keep our Vicarage Lane car park and not build another multi-storey car park in the town.

We need to continue to encourage visitors and residents alike to use sustainable and healthier means of transport (walking, cycling and using public transport) especially coming out of (hopefully) Covid times.

I’m not sure that we need another cinema in Ashford unless of course it really would be run as an ‘arts theatre’.

Take a look at The Electric Cinema in Birmingham as a fine example of this... showing old, iconic, new, arty and world cinema; Christmas films even! And sing-alongs to musicals, etc.

We do need to encourage young people and families into the town centre and ‘hip it up’.

Lots of ‘new’ people are moving/have moved recently into and around Ashford of course and we need to welcome them.

They would benefit hugely from arts centre (as we all would) which would have an open-air stage, too, where we can put on dancing of all types/comedy acts/ plays in the middle of town.

We need to be careful and not throw a lot of money (we don’t have) at new layouts that we just do not need.

Instead use it to reduce bus and train fares, improve our road surfaces for cyclists and pedestrians and help small businesses thrive in the town.

We know now that we need to improve our mental, physical and spiritual health, so let’s really start to do something about it while we have the opportunity.

While we back wholeheartedly exciting plans for our town centre, let us tread carefully when balancing the books. Laura Lawrence

Platform would help underpass

Regarding plans for the former Headley Brothers site [‘Historical site for new scheme’, Kentish Express, January 14], I note that a new foot/ pedestrian bridge over the River Stour is proposed which would connect to the existing, and very popular, National Cycle Route 18. However, the existing route has a problem, which is that the current motorway underpass is subject to flooding.

I knew about this when I initially proposed the idea of a platform hanging from the underside of the bridge.

It is a key route to the rail station, Stour Centre, Victoria Park, Great Chart, and beyond, but some people are a little reluctant to use the existing underpass at night.

What we could do with is for the riverside path to gain height alongside the river and then the motorway eventually crossing the M20 onto a new cycleway/ pedestrian over the bridge and returning on to the riverside and on to Kinney’s Lane and the rugby club.

Then the route might cost a little more, but it would serve a lot more people, and to come and go from: Bybrook, Little Burton Farm, Conningbrook, Wye, Ashford town centre and Kennington, Givaudan, Batchelors, as well as those from the proposed Lower Queens Road development.

It would cost a little more, but it would be worth it.

Ted Prangnell

The future of Ashford’s former Mecca Bingo hall in the Lower High Street is still sparking debate