Letter: Hope for theatre

I AM writing in response to the latest news about the Theatres Trust Theatres at Risk register in regards to the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall (your report, 15 July).

Although Britannia Panopticon is on the list and has been for many a long year, the good news is that the building has amazing owners who have not only invested a considerable amount of their own money in renewing and restoring the roof, west elevation and front elevation, but have also been working with the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall Trust to find a way forward with a lease which will enable the music hall and attic floors of the building to become the responsibility of the Britannia Panopticon Music Hall Trust.

Our main obstacle at the moment is raising the money to pay for the lease; meanwhile the owners have continued to be supportive of our cause and help us in every way possible.

As a result we hope that by 2012 our beloved music hall on Glasgow's historic Trongate will no longer be regarded as "at risk" - but instead as a building with a viable and rosy future as a living, breathing performance-based museum of music hall and popular entertainments.

Britannia Panopticon Music Hall Trust sympathises with all other auditoriums currently under threat (especially Wilton's Music Hall in London, which we regard as Britannia's sister project) and we wish to show them support in anyway we can.

Judith Bowers

Britannia Panopticon Music Hall Trust

Trongate

Glasgow