The Cheese & Grain is something of a hot potato in Frome (sorry about the food metaphor...) This town centre community venue seems to be loved and loathed in equal measure. A glorified disco that leaches money hand over fist, says its opponents. An invaluable resource that combines local events with concerts featuring national names, trumpets its supporters.
It's certainly one of the reasons we bought a place in Frome, and you won't be surprised to hear that we are firmly in the pro- lobby. The place is a symbol of the town's commitment to the arts, but that's not all. It's not just a concert hall - farmers' markets, antiques & wedding fairs, craft shows, bingo all serve parts of the community that may not attend a musical performance. The Big Christmas Get-Together for those who could not afford a festive lunch was held there too.
The C&G is back on the agenda again now as the Town Council is proposing to move its offices there, investing in the upper floor, installing solar panels etc.
These are tough times. Local Authority spending is stretched. But every now and then leaps of faith are necessary on the part of our elected representatives. And stumping up the cash for benefits that cannot be measured can be justified.
http://www.cheeseandgrain.co.uk
http://www.frome-tc.gov.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment