East Devon District Council's reasons why the Northcott Theatre in Exeter should be saved

This is from an EDDC press release about the withdrawal of Arts Council funding from the Northcott Theatre in Exeter:

“It is imperative that any community has a cultural heritage and a spiritual side to its character, so a purpose-built theatre where live performances across the artistic spectrum may be seen by all sections of the population is a vital ingredient of any civilised society.

“In a rural area like ours, the Northcott provides one of the few opportunities for young people to see live professional theatre and, perhaps to be inspired to go into the acting profession. People from across East Devon go to the Northcott, from Exmouth in the west to Axminster in the east.

“If the Exeter sub-region is not to become a cultural desert, unable to serve good live entertainment to its current and burgeoning future population, the Northcott must be preserved.

“If we are to protect the environment and avoid the need for many thousands of people to travel to Plymouth, Taunton or Bristol for live theatre at a 21st century venue, the Northcott must be preserved.

“It takes very little effort at all to lose an asset such as this, but it would take a superhuman effort to create it again”.

OK EDDC - so how do you explain why there are no purpose built cultural facilities in Seaton? And why charges for groups using the Town Hall for cultural events are now so high the groups are cancelling events or moving them to other venues because the Town Hall as a venue is too expensive?

(Seaton Phoenix have moved some of their regular events to Temptations cafe because they cannot afford the Town Hall and other groups are using the Town Hall less because they cannot afford the costs).