Cryer supporter: Harry Hill has appeared in an appeal video for the Carshalton theatre
Comics Harry Hill and Tim Vine have added their support to a campaign to try to raise £150,000 for the “money pit” that is Cryer Arts on Carshalton High Street.
“It’s the best theatre in Carshalton,” says Vine in a YouTube video released this week. “It’s the only theatre in Carshalton…”.
Both Vine, who grew up in Cheam and now lives in nearby Banstead, and Hill have performed at the Cryer several times.
But the venue is in desperate need of some serious up-grading, and the people who operate the theatre have endured a tough five years since they took it over.
Gary Milsom, one of the people behind Cryer Arts, said, “We need to replace the aged boiler system, splitting into two separate, super-efficient systems to cater for the bar and restaurant and theatre separately. Estimated costs are £40,000 to £45,000.”
Milson says that the venue’s windows need replacing, and they need to “double-glaze all remaining areas, replacing all draughty doors. Estimated cost is £45,000.”
What was once known as the Charles Cryer Theatre is council-owned, but was mothballed as a victim of spending cuts until rescued by four local businessmen in 2019. “A great deal of money was spent putting the building into order to bring it back to life.”
The old Carshalton Hall was re-built in the late 1980s and, Milson says, “is, frankly, a money pit”.
A council energy efficiency report was commissioned. “The inspector confided with us that it was the worst building that the council owned!” Milson said.
“The energy crisis brought this into sharp focus as our costs soared and soared. We have three 35-year-old boilers to heat the building and they are woefully inefficient. Despite having invested in as much double glazing as we could when we took on the building, there are still many single-glazed, metal-framed windows and doors.”
The theatre was closed from early 2020 until 2021 due to covid restrictions.
Money pit: Cryer Arts on Carshalton High Street requires some serious updating
“Since that time we have worked tirelessly and striven to re-build the business and, judging by the affection we now seem to generate from our visitors, we are on the right track.
As well as the boilers and double-glazing, various other improvements around the building are estimated to cost another £30,000 to £35,000.
“Given the economic circumstances and future hits expected on the hospitality sector we really don’t ever expect to be able to generate enough money to cover even the smallest part of what we’d really like to do to safeguard the future of The Cryer Arts Centre,” Milson said.
And while Sutton Council owns the building, the chances of the Liberal Democrat-run authority shelling out for the necessary works to its property are slim to non-existent.
Milson says that Cryer Arts is “low on any priority list”. There is also the matter of the operators being on a a full repairing and insuring lease.
“There is a slight possibility [the council might] be able to help to a certain extent with some match-funding,” Milson said, describing it as “a distant prospect”.
The Cryer Arts directors are Milson, Charles Waters, Rodger Molyneux and Philip Dinsdale.
Milson said: “The four directors despite having invested heavily, both in terms of money and blood, sweat and tears, have not taken a penny from the business since Day One (except for wages where also employed by the company) and dearly wish to safeguard the future of this wonderful community hub.
“We already plan to run 200+ shows, events and hires each year with a ‘something for everyone’ approach and want to move forward with the confidence.”
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