Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

The Arc Theatre is losing money and will close next year.

Another blow for Trowbridge as the only theatre announces its closure.

The decision has been made to no longer run the Arc as a commercial enterprise.

The Arc Theatre has been run as a commercial enterprise for a number of years and has unfortunately been running at a loss throughout this time. Although this loss has decreased over the last three years, it is still estimated to make a £25,000 deficit this financial year.

In recent years the programme has been varied to try to stimulate audiences, which has included film, comedy and high end theatre productions. However, none of these initiatives have made a big enough impact on the bottom line, even with the grant from Wiltshire Council. In addition this grant is not guaranteed year on year.

In the current financial climate, with reductions in funding, the College must focus its expenditure on its core business of providing learning opportunities for the communities of Wiltshire.

Therefore, with effect from Saturday 28 January 2012, the Arc Theatre will cease to operate as a commercial enterprise. The Arc will continue to be available to community arts groups as a venue to hire for performances, subject to availability.

The Arc Theatre will become the exciting new base for the college's performing arts students and will continue to develop talented young performers.

Council funding for the Arc was an issue even when I held the 'arts' portfolio as a Cabinet member at West Wiltshire District Council. In these financially constrained times it must have been a very hard decision for the managing board of the theatre to make. Hopefully, there might be other ways of securing funding (such as the Area Board, the town council or the BA14 culture group), and I presume that the new Chairman of Trowbridge Area Board will get involved in this issue.