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SPADS needs a home

We need a home!

We are disappointed to announce that we are now on the lookout for a new rehearsal venue, having been unable to come to an agreement with St Paul’s Church Hall, our current space, providing a significant problem for the group’s board of trustees.

With a busy year of productions planned for 2025, SPADS Chairman Peter Wright is reaching out to alternative local venues:

“Recent hire changes at St Paul’s leaves us with a huge mountain to climb to be able to continue to deliver the award-winning performances the Letchworth community have come to love so much over decades, and it’s a desperate shame that were unable to come to a compromise with the church leaders.”

SPADS has an incredible 80+ years association with St Paul’s Church and the hall, which we have used as our base to work on productions down the years.

Peter comments: “Naturally, the group has some fantastic memories attached to St Paul’s, generations of families have grown up with it as the centre of SPADS.  The hall has helped to build the strong sense of community and collaboration that is at the heart of who we are.”

Peter continues: “Many local residents will have attended our annual Pantomime across the years, at Plinston Hall and St Francis College Theatre going all the way back to 1961.”

Since 2021, SPADS have collaborated with the Letchworth Heritage Foundation to produce an annual pantomime at the Broadway Cinema & Theatre which continues to draw in huge crowds each year. Now a registered charity, SPADS currently produces 2 shows a year at the Letchworth venue having sold over 4,000 tickets in 2024, with the recent Pantomime Goldilocks and the Three Bears selling out 2 months in advance.

“Our local pantomime wouldn’t be what it is today without the fantastic rehearsal space that we have enjoyed.” Peter adds.

“It has allowed our members and production teams to collaborate effortlessly, with its space for crew to build and store props and sets, all while the cast rehearse in the room next door. However, the show must go on, and SPADS trustees are now on the hunt for a new space to call home.”

SPADS are looking for a large, versatile space that will enable the cast and crew to continue to work and rehearse together. With the current agreement at St Paul’s Church Hall expiring at the end of January 2025, SPADS are interested in discussing options with local venues regarding weekday evening hires with storage potential from February beyond.

Peter concludes: “We understand that our specific hire requirements are quite unique, so we are reaching out by any means we can. We need a base to rehearse primarily, but the ability to be able to build and store props and sets in the same location would be a real bonus.”

“We would love to discuss options with local suitors who are interested in taking SPADS in.”

Any readers who are interested in getting in contact with SPADS should email spads.secretary@outlook.com