Sir, – Reports that the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre is up for grabs for €20 million should be good news (“Bord Gáis theatre for sale at €20 million”, July 9th). The theatre should be bought for the State.
During the boom years there was talk about developing the Abbey Theatre, the home of our National Theatre; there was even chatter about building a national opera house.
Could we not consider this theatre as the ideal new national performance centre? Is there not the space at this site to develop a smaller auditorium for more intimate theatrical performances, creating our own South Bank complex? Or will we allow this chance to slip by, giving a private impresario, or vulture funds looking for a bargain, the chance to snap up the most modern performance space in Ireland? – Yours, etc,
BRENDAN QUINN
Enniscrone,
Sligo.