Theatre company takes over at Hazlitt


A NATIONWIDE theatre company has taken over management ofMaidstone’s pop- ular Hazlitt Theatre and Arts Centre. Parkwood Theatres began a 15-year con-


tract to operate the 350-seat theatre and Ex- change Studio, in Earl Street, on behalf of Maidstone Council, on October 1. As well as upgrading facilities, Parkwood


will be introducing new shows and acts, whilst continuing to support many of the existing ones. The company will focus on community


use of the theatre and also provide the out- reach community activities such as the Maidstone MELA and Proms in the Park. Parkwood Theatres is part of Parkwood Leisure, one of the UK’s leading leisure management companies, which operates 84 facilities on behalf of 25 local authority clients and employs more than 4,500 peo- ple.


The company’s portfolio includes the


Winter Gardens Pavilion and the 664-seat Playhouse Theatre in Weston-super-Mare and The Hawth in Crawley,which seats 855 in the main auditorium and 146 in a sepa- rate studio space. Gary Roden, managing director of Park-


wood Theatres, said: “We are delighted to have been selected to operate the Hazlitt Arts Centre and look forward to bringing the local community a wide range of entertain- ment events, diverse cultural programmes, and a calendar of special events that will draw in new audiences and engage fully with the community at large.” Maidstone Council’s cabinet member for economic and commercial development, Malcolm Greer, said: “Parkwood’s business


plan was the best for theatre goers and the tax payer. I am confident that Parkwood will deliver a noticeable improvement to service levels at the Hazlitt Arts Centre and reduce the bottom line cost for Maidstone council tax payers. This will be achieved through driving participation and atten- dance and reducing costs through enhanced buying power that Parkwood is able to offer. “Our existing theatre staff are first class


and patrons need not worry; they will still see many of the familiar faces currently


IAN Fern’s latest proposal to convert a stable into a live/work unit at a former farm estate in West Farleigh has been given the go-ahead. Since buying Tutsham Hall estate in April


2000,Mr Fern has converted many of the sta- bles, cowsheds and other buildings into resi- dential and commercial units, including Tutsham Farm, the Cider House and Bob’s Sta- ble.


There have been eight property conversions


in Tutsham Farm in the past five years, along with the upgrading of three farm cottages. In June 2011, planning approval was granted to convert the oast house into fivelive/work units. NowMr Fern’s company Ferns Surfacing Ltd


hasbeengivenretrospectivepermission tocon- vert a stable into another live/work unit. Cllr Bruce Scott, chairman of West Farleigh


Parish Council, said he had previously backed Mr Fern’s developments, but criticised the fact that the latest unit hadbeen converted without planning permission. “The applicant has had disregard for the planning process.Hewas fully aware he needed planning permission.”.


However, Cllr Scott was unable to sway the


vote on the proposal and planning permission was grantedunanimously,duetotheprecedent setby the fivelive/work units permittedinJune 2011 – his recommendation that traffic using the estate should be directed away from Mill Lanewas taken on by the planning committee, who said vehicles should use Hunt Street. Tutsham Hall is a Grade II listed building and


the17th centuryhomeof ToryMPEdwardGoul- ston. The estate is also the home to the Team Tutsham Equestrian Centre, a charity and rid- ing centre for the disadvantaged and disabled.


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working at the theatre.” Staff wishing to transfer their employ-


ment to Parkwoodwere assured of the same terms and conditions of employment as they had before, he said. In the first year, Parkwood intends to


spend £45,290 on replacing IT equipment and hardware, technical equipment and the box office system. Ongoing investment over the course of the contract will see the re- placement of additional equipment while maintaining the venue.


Stable conversion can stay, say planners


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