University of Chester student CHRIS HESKETH feels so strongly about the plight of the Gateway Theatre, he is writing about it as part of his degree course. He outlines in his own words why it should be reopened

IN MY opinion, having a theatre is an integral part of any city, especially one aspiring to be one of Europe’s top destinations by 2015.

Chester has been without a quality cultural venue since 2006 and with the Northgate Development being put back to 2012 because of the credit crunch, reopening the Gateway Theatre would at least provide a building block for this city.

The decision to close the Gateway, even before any deal had been finalised, has meant Chester could be without a venue for five years or more. This means residents of Chester have to travel further afield to watch a production.

Tourists are attracted to Chester because of its historical significance and not having a theatre takes part of the cultural spirit out of the city.

Without having a theatre or even a cinema in the city means fewer attractions for visitors to enjoy. A theatre brings together the community and helps showcase up and coming talent.

The closure of the theatre has also had an adverse affect on the University of Chester drama students. Ashleigh Louison, a second year drama student, said: “A group of us are doing a project in Winsford at the moment, 40 minutes away, having the theatre reopened in Chester would be so much more convenient.”

Chester does attract a lot of tourists throughout the year. But when the shops shut and night falls, Chester has very little to offer. The closure of the Gateway Theatre, coupled with the demise of the Odeon, means there’s nothing to entertain visitors in the evening.