CHELSFIELD AFTERNOON WOMEN'S INSTITUTE

At our October meeting, Mrs Margaret Durdant-Hollamby MBE gave a very interesting and amusing account of the history behind the STAG Theatre and her involvement with it. Its name derives from the Sevenoaks Theatre Action Group founded in 1980 to try and provide the town with a suitable venue for plays, concerts etc., which up till then had to be performed in the local Drill Hall with its flat floor and glass roof! In 1983, Waitrose was given planning permission to build a supermarket provided they left room for a community theatre.

Then the Rank Organisation decided to sell its cinema and car park on the London Road. After some hectic negotiations, a deal was finally signed in the first week of September between the local council and Rank with the cinema sub-let to the Action Group.

A large donation from a relieved Waitrose helped to provide a stage and many willing volunteers carried out the work of refurbishment so that all would be ready for the grand open-ing night, December 18, 1983.

In her vote of thanks, Maddy Hamilton said how much we had all enjoyed the afternoon. We look forward to reading the full account in Mrs Durdant-Hollamby's autobiography, "Life, not a rehearsal".

Next month we have our Soup & Sandwich lunch followed by the AGM.