THE new chair of Anvil Arts has outlined his vision for a Haymarket Theatre, featuring a bar and coffee shop to ‘help develop’ the Top of Town.

Speaking to the Gazette, Chris Smith said he plans to “fight tooth and nail” to keep the arts venue on Wote Street as part of the trust’s portfolio, adding that it’s a “fantastic space” with great potential.

The historic cultural landmark is owned by the council and currently operated by Anvil Arts.

However, at a full council meeting last month, the cabinet was called upon to outline how it would give “due consideration” to all interested parties when the agreement expires in 2022.

Cllr Simon Bound, member for communities, planning and infrastructure, pledged to “consider all options” for the future of the venue.

When asked for his take on Anvil Arts’ role in the Haymarket going forward, Chris Smith said: “On a personal level I love the Haymarket, so I want to fight tooth and nail to keep it as part of the portfolio because it contributes something that the Anvil can’t.

“It’s a very different space and it’s got great opportunities to commercially develop, not the space itself because it’s quite small, but what’s going on around it, given its location.”

He continued: “So I want us to really fight to put in a proposal that wins the hearts and minds. But, if there is a different view, then we would respect that and work with whoever it is that the owners of the building - which is the public, to be honest, and our representatives - feel can do that job.

“But I think it’s an important venue for us and on a purely personal level, 21 years in the town, I love the Haymarket.”

Expanding on his vision for the venue, Chris painted a picture of a bustling community hub, with a popular bar and coffee shop

“What I really want to see is a lovely home-roasted coffee cafe in there. I’d like to see a fantastic bar that’s open doing lovely snacks and that kind of stuff. To really put it at the heart of the road it’s in,” he said.

“And the energy of that can spread out and fill the top of the town, which in my time here as a resident the top of the town has always been a case of many ambitions, but we haven’t quite got there yet.

“I’d like to see the Haymarket play a really big role in developing that part of the town.”