A MEIRIONNYDD theatre has issued an SOS to the public to save it from closure.

The Dragon Theatre in Barmouth has remained closed throughout the pandemic, but improvements have been made behind the scene, thanks to the board of trustees.

With assistance from Barmouth Town Council, the theatre has been able to invest in a new lighting rig for the stage in the main auditorium, due to be installed in November, and the management team is putting together an extensive programme of events to make the most of the state-of-the-art installation.

In addition, work is being done in the bar, the main auditorium ventilation system has been serviced and made operational, and there are plans to renew the kitchen area.

However, this work has been done by the theatre’s small board and now, for reasons of age, health or length of service, some members will be stepping down.

“The Dragon Theatre operates as a limited liability company and charity and uses a board of trustees to operate,” a theatre spokesperson explained.

“If there are insufficient trustees on the board the business cannot operate and we would be forced to make a decision to close down.

“It would be very sad if the town was to lose such a valuable and (pre-Covid) well-used asset, so this is an appeal for local people to join the board and help The Dragon Theatre to progress.”

“The minimum commitment required would be the attendance of monthly meetings, on the evening of the second Monday of the month.

“But obviously there are plenty of opportunities to help if people want to get more involved with the day-to-day routine of the theatre.”

If you would like to get involved to help save the theatre, call Alan Vincent (07530 212112) or Gethin Williams (07890 705180) to discuss this more, or call the theatre on 01341 281697 and speak to theatre manager, Allison Williams.

An AGM will be held this Monday, 27 September, at 7pm, when the future of the theatre will be discussed.

“The response to this appeal is crucial to the outcome,” the spokesperson added.