Forum Topic

Thumbs up to the New Theatre

Finally At last A proper theater for Ealing This must be a good idea because Robo-Huq does not like it

Phil Junger ● 4h25 Comments

I do not get it Ealing Labour moves a great plan and the local Labour M.P Rupas Huq nines it Why is she so disconnected from local reality and issues?

Phil Junger ● 4h

Are you for real? We already have a proper theatre in Ealing in fact the oldest community theatre in England if I recall correctly. This temporary abortion displaces established festivals enjoyed by thousands each year. I wonder how much was paid and to who to secure this permission.

N V Brooks ● 4h

N V B I assume you refer to 'Questors'. It's a mutually owned club theater with very limited facilities You cannot tour a production in there from normal theaters as the 'Questors' has no fly tower so you need to rebuild all the sets to slide in from the wings rather than to be flown in from above My experience is that it is exactly what it is a small UN-air-conditioned box with productions put on by a group of local members The idea of a 1,200 seater air-conditioned theatre - three times the seating capacity of the 'Questors' where good productions become financially viable with good actors is excellent!

Phil Junger ● 3h

A correction the new theatre would have nearly Four times the capacity of the existing Questions You can't make any money touring a quality production to a 312 seater theatre for a few nights... I would view the Troubadour project as Ealing's best chance of a footprint in the arts world At the moment we are a has-been of Ealing Comedies and the like

Phil Junger ● 3h

So, the best that this council, which has a wonderful track record of delivering absolutely sod all in terms of leisure facilities, can manage is a tent with displaces existing very popular festivals. Way to to go Ealing and way to go for those who support this nonsensical project

N V Brooks ● 3h

Why doesn't Huq do something about the appalling pavements the homeless on the streets Ealing's messed-up Housing Department (Henry and endless foul ups), the truly appalling Ealing Hospital the general lack of healthcare facilities the decimated libraries Why does she lead the attack on the one positive thing that has been proposed for Ealing since her election?

Phil Junger ● 3h

But why take over vital space in a park, where we already have summer events, and not somewhere else?

Anna Henderson ● 3h

Ealing isn't just Walpole Park I like the idea of distributing the various bits of the festival to parks around the Whole of Ealing where a more local involvement can be brought in to play and where more people in the overall borough - Southall Acton Northolt can be addressed perhaps the various bits could tour around one year Acton Park has the beer festival next year the jazz and so on Ealing isn't just W5!

Phil Junger ● 2h

If Troubadour want to give us this great gift at no cost to Ealing and of great general benefit and the price is the use of a third of a very run down and threadbare Walpole Park I do not think that we should look this gift horse in the mouth - just nod gratefully and move forward

Phil Junger ● 2h

Why is that when anyone proposes anything good for Ealing it has to be mangled and obstructed at every turn What happened to community growth on moving forward on improving things And not 🥺 just obstructed for good reason just for the sake of opposing it - I mean Labour Huq doing down Labour Ealing Council - it is worse than undignified it is pathetic!

Phil Junger ● 2h

Ah, then maybe we can distribute the theatre to another part of Ealing then? Perhaps not a green space enjoyed by many?

Anna Henderson ● 2h

While a theatre may be good for Ealing, it is the location that I think people are mostly concerned about. Why ruin green space for three whole years when there are plenty of other sites which could work also. And not to mention a space literally opposite another theatre... It's hardly an improvement.

Anna Henderson ● 2h

I think the festivals are long due for rotation around Ealing Those who remember the festivals in the days before the Evil Ealing Council Events Depertment turned them into fenced off paid for career development opportunities for its friends and you had the ability to picnic in Walpole Park without having to buy from the vendors there and it was in the open and you could chat to your neighbours before the fences paid-for concessions police security guards ticketing Time for local festivals for locals not for bussed-in 'tourists' - Ealing is somewhere where we live not a business opportunity for would be events professionals... Rotating them to local parks would bring back that community

Phil Junger ● 2h

Anything has to be an improvement on the state of Walpole Park at the moment and the way that it is being used I not drug dealers on bicycles I note threadbare and wrecked grass empty ponds.... Let's go for something new something positive some thing looking forward

Phil Junger ● 2h

No, not really.

Anna Henderson ● 2h

>And not to mention a space literally opposite another theatre...Nobody seems to be considering this could be a massive boon for Questors.Has anybody asked it what it thinks?

Paul James ● 2h

You're right, the new theatre will definitely not be a business opportunity, or fenced off. Great point.

Anna Henderson ● 2h

Yes, our council has really cared for one of our flagship open spaces haven't they?

N V Brooks ● 2h

This only shows your total lack of understanding of local politics. A member of parliament has absolutely no involvement the year portion of budgets for pavement to repairs,upkeep of libraries, the total inability of Ealing council to manage a housing contract and the like, do keep up.  Well done Rupa Huq.

N V Brooks ● 2h

Walpole Park is surrounded by Three parks that all touch it: Ealing Green Lammas Enclosure and Lammas Park I am sure that the users of this third of Walpole Park will be able to continue their activities in those without great hardship This is not a situation where the nearest other park is a bus ride away

Phil Junger ● 1h

N V B If as you say Huq has nothing to do with the day to day operation of Ealing Council why is she offering opinion on the use of Walpole Park surely with the same voice that you do me down for expecting her to look after what is her elected borough you should be doing her down for interfering in this I do not understand You can't pick and choose to suit yourself or perhaps you can however you don't have to be right!

Phil Junger ● 1h

N V B Please read the proposal Ealing Council or rather the Evil Events Department would not be managing this tent Troubadour would be managing this 'tent'

Phil Junger ● 1h

I've been to the Troubadour in Wembley and it was a poor experience. The only reason for bringing this to Walpole Park is financial for Ealing Council — nothing else. If people want a big show theatre experience, there are plenty of options a few stops away on the Elizabeth line in central London. Ealing does not need this.There are far more pressing priorities for Ealing to address. And as Nigel points out — what about the Questors, right across the road? This venue will not help them.The existing festivals in Walpole Park work because the park is central to the whole borough — nearly every bus route either ends at Ealing Broadway or passes through it. Moving events to another part of the borough means imposing a major event on an area that will not cope with it.

Declan Devine ● 48m

I can pick and choose as much as I like thanks. I was simply pointing out your fundamental lack of understanding of how local politics operates. Rupa Huq has every right to express an opinion about the shortfalls of Ealing council of which there are very many sadly these are not acknowledged by the apologists. Mason has underestimated the power base at Questors and he does this at his peril.

N V Brooks ● 25m

Phil seems to be very much in the minority on this topic and doesn’t seem to ask the fundamental questions. How much money will this bring the council and where will it be spent?This is a temporary theatre and will disappear after the lease expires. There’s no suitable permanent space in central Ealing now and won’t be one in 2030. The land is too valuable as residential development and it’s highly unlikely any theatre company will spend millions of pounds on building a facility here. The real West End is 15 minutes away.The council hires out parts of the parks for quite hefty fees but doesn’t seem to reinvest that in the green spaces.As for threadbare grass in Walpole, has Phil not noticed it’s been a very hot and dry summer and grass everywhere is struggling.

Simon Hayes ● 21m