Pivotal progress in plans to build theatre venue at Waterford seaside resort

Long running plans to develop a theatre in Tramore, which could act as a hub for the local cultural scene, received a boost recently when a feasibility study was completed and handed over to senior officials at Waterford City and County Council.

The council is advancing the idea in association with the Tramore Area Community Theatre (TACT) group, founded by Garrett Wyse and James Power.

The plans will be presented to a local body called the Tramore Town Centre Management Group (TTCMG), before advancing to the full council stage.

Mr Wyse said it’s an exciting development that has been eight years in the making. The duo set up TACT about three years ago as the legal vehicle to progress the concept, bringing on board local experts.

TTCMG is the formal body which applied for grants on behalf of the council, receiving funding about three years ago. On foot of that, a feasibility study was commissioned to seek the public’s views and identify sites.

“The feasibility study was extended in time and resources,” said Mr Wyse. “Now that study is finished. It’s sitting on the desk of the senior executives of the council. They have to make a decision on this.

“Then the feasibility study has to be adopted or accepted by Tramore Town Centre Management Group. Then it goes to the metropolitan council, and then to the full plenary hopefully.”

TACT has identified about 14 sites, on brownfield, greenfield, and former business sites. The criteria to narrow down the perfect suitable location will depend on ownership, access, existing use, parking and other issues, said Mr Wyse.

“It has to tie into the development plans, local area plan, and spatial strategies. I assume some of these 14 sites will be whittled down over time, due to those factors.

“The serious professionalism of the council is now meeting the imagination of the people,” said Mr Wyse.

“As it is, the town is decades behind. The social, cultural, artistic, even education and training, and sporting and community facilities – this is the opportunity to address an awful lot of them complimentarily in the one go.”

The arts scene in Tramore is just one area that could be dramatically enhanced by having a dedicated theatre venue for local townspeople, said Mr Wyse.

“In 1987 when I left secondary school in Tramore, there were 250 in the school. Now there are 250 in each class, and there are six classes.”

The population hasn’t increased dramatically since then, but the catchment area has, bringing in students from miles away.

“Tramore in the early and mid-1970s, when I moved here, had about seven hotels and about 24 bars. Now it’s down to two hotels and about seven bars.”

Mr Wyse came across a ticket stub recently, showing on one line-up that legendary rock bands Skid Row, Thin Lizzy and guitarist Rory Gallagher were due to appear, while the Fleadh Mór attracted names such Bob Dylan.

“We had South (a Tramore superclub), down here, with Laurent Garnier opening it up on the first night. It was crazy that things were like that.”

Mr Wyse remembers going down the road to see French music producer and DJ Laurent Garnier, Paul Weller, Shane MacGowan, and Sinéad O’Connor, and up the road to see Ray Charles and Bob Dylan.

“This was in Tramore,” he said. “Then there was the showbands down here before that and the Atlantic Ballroom. There was the Silver Slipper. Tramore has a huge history of this, with big fine hotels.

“A development like this has a couple of aspects to it. It really does facilitate the development of this town as a standalone town and not just a glorified housing estate on the outskirts of Waterford, with a nice beach beside it.

“We are actually now a suburb of Waterford because we’re Waterford city west. But it’s the biggest town in the county. It has by far the fastest growing population and the demands of this young, growing, population have to be met with something like this.”

Mr Wyse said a new theatre could create a critical mass of cultural groups and movements, and attract more tourism. Tramore doesn’t have a cultural quarter – “there are little bits and pieces here and there, but there’s no coherent centre of gravity”.

Mr Wyse said the town lacks a social space where people can come and relax and chat.

“The library would be the closest, which is great, but it’s overrun with people trying to use it, morning, noon and night,” he said.

“It’s now open 12 or 13 hours a day up until 10 o’clock at night with your access card. All these services – they’re bursting at the seams.”

An amenity like a theatre hub could provide a home for local clubs and associations, and act as a centre for visiting artists and performers, added Mr Wyse.

Even the Christmas pantos used to be huge in Tramore, but “they’ve all gone for lack of facilities and services to really make it happen”.

Dance and drama clubs had to go elsewhere to do gigs too.

“Bring them all together,” said Mr Wyse. “Create a critical mass where this happens and say – this is the focal point for the redevelopment of our town and we’re starting with the cultural, the artistic, the social, educational and training, sporting, community and voluntary, all of them in one go get a piece of the cake.”