This is a copy of part of a letter I sent to Culture Minister, Chris Smith.

I was extremely saddened to read that the Octagon Theatre, Bolton is to lose its full time producing status. I have been to the Octagon many times and seen many plays performed there, before and since Lawrence Till's time as Artistic Director. I have never known a place as succesfully transformed as the Octagon has been. It's a great-looking building people love to visit. It produces a staggering range of plays - I don't think a repertory theatre could offer its audience a more varied diet. It produces them to a consistently high standard; exactingly conceived and often stunningly good to look at.

I understand the Board of the Theatre has set out its plan to eliminate the theatre's debt, but the terms of that plan seem likely to eliminate the theatre. That's what involves the community it serves. The popularity of the Octagon is pinned on what the theatre produces. It involves them both as theatre goers and theatre makers because of its busy youth, education and community department.

Bolton dwellers can go to Manchester any time to catch a touring show.

The people of Bolton have the best theatre for miles and miles and miles around. That will no longer be the case if the Board realises its plan. Please do everything in your power to prevent that happening. Please provide support for the Octagon, from the Arts Council of England's Strategic Development fund or other sources. This is an urgent matter as the funds must be raised by June 1999 in order to preserve the theatre's full time producing status.

Amelia Bullmore

Berryfield Road, Kennington, London

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.