Proposed “Town Hall” sign replacing “Brixham Theatre” ignites opposition, deemed damaging to the theater’s identity.
The town council wants a new sign. This sign would replace the “Brixham Theatre” sign that sits above the building’s entrance. The building houses both the council and theatre.
They want the new sign to say “Town Hall” and be non-illuminated. The council thinks this will create clarity, showing which part holds offices. Torbay Council will decide soon.
The proposed sign isn’t popular; it would be stainless steel with a grey powder coating. Online, all comments oppose the change, and a social media campaign also exists. People think the current sign is important and see it as part of the theatre’s identity, believing it should stay as it is.
The council owns the building in question and only wants to change the New Road-facing sign. The theatre trustees can add their own signs around the corner on Market Street where the theatre section is housed.
The council thinks this is reasonable, considering both the Town Hall and the theatre, and aims to keep things clear for people.
The online reaction has been strong. One person said the council wants to remove the signage that shows there’s a theatre there. For a tourist town, this is problematic because they think people won’t see shows since they won’t know its location. Covid impacted the theatre already, and taking this away would be a blow.