Dear Editor,
Having been reminded that Ozzy Osbourne performed in Taunton, as did the Rolling Stones, Queen, Iron Maiden, Adam and the Ants, the Cure, and the Beatles, and we were also treated to ballet productions by the Sadler's Wells Ballet Company and other theatre performances, is it not time to take Gala Bingo out of the former Gaumont Palace, which has a full stage and 1,476 seats, and reinstate it as a theatre/concert venue?
It's ready-made and the seats are still there, underneath the bingo floor.
Maybe it could be cinema and theatre shared, like the Odeon used to be, so could also give the town a cinema that people can easily get to, without jumping into a car or bus.
Even that concept would mean eateries being full of theatre or cinema goers, enjoying a meal out before an evening of entertainment.
We would again have a concert-sized venue that was not weather-dependent.
Having a large theatre in town would enable Taunton to be suitable for national theatre tours instead of travelling to Bristol, Plymouth, or Torquay.
Having a local large venue also helps with affordability due to not travelling too far or paying city parking prices on top of your ticket, but you also don't add to the carbon footprint by travelling too far in your car, and many could even walk in.
The county town boasting a suitable venue for top shows would surely bring people to the town, which, as well as giving existing businesses a boost, demonstrates a reason for investment to fill empty shops.
This has the potential for giving the town a new and vibrant life.
Helen Shattock
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