DAMAGE TO THEATRE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29194, 3 May 1960, Page 8

DAMAGE TO THEATRE

Assessment Not Yet Complete

The cause of the fire in the Civic Theatre on Sunday evening has not been established, and a full assessment has not yet been made of the damage. The Town Clerk (Mr H. S. Feast) said yesterday that the City Engineer (Mr E. Somers) and he had discussed with Canterbury University authorities the possible use of the theatre on Thursday for the graduation ceremony. However, all the structural damage had not been ascertained, and while it might have been possible to fit up the stage for the ceremony it was not possible to say yesterday what precautions would be necessary. In the light of the information the university authorities had made their decision to move to St. James Theatre.

A full inspection of the roof ' would have to be made. Mr Feast ' said. 1 When more is known about the structural damage the council will be able to make a deci- ! sion on the theatre bookings. The ' one that causes the most concern ' is the forthcoming visit of the National Orchestra. The Civic Theatre has its own small Broad- : casting Service studio and technicians’ control room, and is speciI ally fitted for broadcasting from I the stage. | The Chief Fire Officer (Mr L. jR. Osmond) said yesterday that th? cause of the fire could not be definitely established. The human agency, such as a cigarette butt, had been discounted, he said, but it was possible that the i fire started from an electrical fault. It was suspected that the fire started higher above the stage than the brigade thought at first, he said.