A LONG-STANDING Basingstoke theatre volunteer has said the Anvil Arts Trust will struggle to cope after they announced they would continue to run The Haymarket.

The organisation currently manages The Anvil, The Haymarket and The Forge venues, which are owned by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

Following discussions with the trust, the current lease to manage The Haymarket, which was due to expire in September 2022, will be extended until September 2025.

SEE MORE: The Anvil Trust will continue to manage The Haymarket as council extend lease

The news has caused some worry for Hannah Williams, who was a marketing officer at The Haymarket Theatre for ten years and remains a volunteer for the Market Chambers Performers Together organisation.

She has since told the Gazette the trust already has "a lot to deal with".

She said: “I just think they already have enough to look after with The Anvil let alone looking after The Haymarket as well.

“When I worked as a marketing officer there used to be sell-out shows and people would be queuing up outside.”

Ms Williams has been working with many people, including local arts groups, the former Mayor of Basingstoke Cllr Diane Taylor, and Maria Miller MP and hoped to “do things differently” in the future.

She has previously said the council’s decision to cut funding for The Anvil Arts could be an opportunity to breathe new life into the historic theatre.

Talking about the combining of the venues under the one umbrella in 2007, she said: “The council had this idea in which they decided to give a pot of money to Anvil Arts. It was a good idea to them at the time, but I had misgivings at the start.

“When I was there, the place was thriving, but over the years it has become the ‘Cinderella’ venue.”

READ MORE: 'Use cash for Haymarket': Long-standing theatre volunteer sees opportunity in Anvil cuts

As previously reported Chris Smith, chair of The Anvil Trust, said “this is great news for Basingstoke”.

He added: “Investment in arts and culture is a vital part of the recovery of the town centre and the regional economy. We are also delighted to receive this vote of confidence in the Trust’s work with the decision to extend our management of The Haymarket.”

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