New life could be breathed into former home of Lanarkshire theatre with community ownership transfer

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A move to bring a row of cottages that were formerly home to a town’s theatre into the hands of the local community has taken a significant step forward.The cottages in Cumbernauld that housed the Cottage Theatre have now officially been declared surplus to requirements by North Lanarkshire Council, paving the way for a community asset transfer of the buildings.The 18th century cottages, situated on Braehead Road in the Kildrum area of the town, originally formed part of the estate of Cumbernauld House.

The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now. Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android They were home to the old theatre and contained a public bar and studio.The premises have been lying empty since before Cumbernauld Theatre Trust (CTT) moved to a brand new home at the Lanternhouse in the campus of Cumbernauld Academy.The cottages were formerly used as an arts centre run on a membership basis, and in the early 1970s an auditorium was added to the premises which housed almost 300 people - it was occupied by Cumbernauld Theatre Trust from 1978 until 2020.Cumbernauld Cottage Trust (CCT) has been working in the background for the last few years laying the foundations for such a transfer.

They hope to retain it as an active community space.Secretary, Alison Russell, told Lanarkshire Live: “It was occupied by CTT for a long time. "The pandemic brought a