NEWS that the future of Teignmouth's Carlton Theatre will be put off until after the local elections has disappointed the Teignmouth Players drama group, left without a venue.
The theatre was closed late last year amid health and safety fears. Teignbridge Council leader Cllr Alan Connett said that public consultation would take place, but not until May.
Teignmouth Players has had to cancel its most popular production of the year, its Christmas pantomime and have had to make an expensive relocation of the Teignmouth Drama Festival to Coombeshead College, Newton Abbot.
Players' chairman Roger Smith said: 'I can understand the concern about electioneering on the issue in the run-up to May, but every day that goes by the seats are empty.
'We want to see the issue raised and the public consultation go ahead as soon as possible. We need to know what people think. 'We would hate to lose the impetus by it being pushed to one side,' he said.
An update on the progress at the Carlton Theatre was an agenda item for yesterday's meeting of Teignbridge's full council.
Mayor Cllr Geoff Bladon said that there was concern that it had been added to the agenda at too short notice for the public to come along and speak. He told the town council's finance and general purposes meeting on Tuesday: 'It means that it will be too late for people to have their say at that meeting.
'There will be no public consultation until after the May elections and I am not impressed,' he said. Committee chairman Cllr Fred Tooley said he wanted the council's support for a theatre to remain on the Carlton site.
'The theatre must stay for the people of Teignmouth,' he said. But Cllr Mary Strudwick said the council had to be cautious. 'We have got to keep out of this while the parties involved work this out. 'We could stir it up and make a lot of trouble if we are not careful,' she said.
Cllr Brenda Battershill said that the Riviera Cinema as an alternative venue for the Teignmouth Players would not be a long-term solution. 'It is a private business and if they want, could sell up at any time,' she said. Councillors voted for a motion to support the Teignmouth Players in its attempts to ensure that a community group facility and theatre remains on the site of the Carlton Theatre.