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'State-of-the-art' Globe-style theatre planed near Leigh station

Briefing  - Mr Abineri, Mrs Firth, Mr Bradbury,  Julie Cushion and Mark Walmsley.
Briefing - Mr Abineri, Mrs Firth, Mr Bradbury, Julie Cushion and Mark Walmsley.

A NEW Globe Theatre-style attraction could be created next to Leigh train station, in ambitious proposals which could “attract international stars”.

The new plans have been teased this week, with Southend West MP Anna Firth invited to a briefing on the proposals by entertainment firm Bradbury and Bradbury on Wednesday.

The MP has insisted a theatre on the site would help boost Southend’s bid to be named the 2029 City of Culture.

The briefing was led James Bradbury, from Bradbury and Bradbury, alongside actor Sebastian Abineri who has performed in films alongside the likes of Sean Connery and Michael Caine, and Brian Warrens from the Backstage Centre rehearsal and training facility in Purfleet.

The group have described it as a “flagship Dome Theatre”, with more details set to be released in coming weeks.

Carolyn Goodall, 53, of Leigh said: “I think it sounds amazing and will be good for the area.

“That part of the town can get a bit of a bad name so I think it will improve the area and it will be easy for people to travel to there with the station so close.

“I do think it’s something we would be interested in going to and I think it can only be of benefit. It sounds like it could be like Shakespeare’s Globe. My daughter is a keen fan is his work and would like this sort of thing in Leigh.

“We don’t have this sort of thing anywhere in Essex so it’ll be something different.”

Mark Warmsley also attended, from the Arts and Culture Network, a growing global community of professionals with a passion for the arts and culture.

James Bradbury said: “We are delighted to be working with Anna Firth MP and the worldrenowned actor Sebastian Abineri.

“With the size and flexibility of our flagship Dome Theatre, we are confident that this signature project will be able to add significant value to the already vibrant arts and culture and will also support the wider Culture Estuary project”.

Ms Firth insisted it would be a great addition to the cultural assets in Southend, including the Cliff’s Pavilion, the Palace Theatre, and the Leigh Folk Festival.

She added: “This theatre would be an instrumental asset to our bid for City of Culture 2029. City of Culture in my eyes is not solely about the status, its about the journey, development and growth of the city”.