Wotton-under-Edge Dramatic Society

Morley Green Room, Clarence Road, Wotton-under-Edge - home of the Wotton Dramatic Society.

It all started in 1932 and has continued for 90 years, so far. The current building was erected by the Society in 1985 and has been our space for rehearsals and workshop ever since. Around 20 years ago we started to be use it for performances as well.

In 2020 we asked Severn Wye Energy Agency to prepare a report on energy efficiency and ways of bringing the building into the 21 st Century. We applied for grants from the European Regional Development Fund and applied to many other sources and secured grants under varies categories, some ring fenced to particular work and some as matched funding . Charitable Status and our stated aims of working with juniors in the community and providing cultural education and becoming more accessible opened some doors for us. Our priority was to retrofit insulation to the building. However it became clear that COVID, Brexit and escalating costs and supply chain problems had turned this on its head. The Insulation had now become over half of the projected costs. Whilst dealing with specialist companies, we needed to refer to our original plans. Disaster loomed. It appeared that the building had planning permission only for rehearsals and workshop. Yet we had been obtaining performance licences for twenty years. After some lengthy discussions and form filling we successfully obtained a Certificate of Lawfulness from Stroud District Council to continue using The Morley Green Room as a performance space.

Logistically work needed to be done in phases. 1, being changing all lighting internally, externally, and stage lights to LED, which involved some new infrastructure. Phase 2 was to close up two large barn doors historically used for access for sets and stage equipment and to build a new entrance and lobby. Phase 3 This enabled us to close off the original small door and enlarge the toilet space to install a completely new proper accessible toilet room. This work included the insulation of the front end of the building. Phase 4 All electrics and consumer units were upgraded. Phase 5 is currently the replacement of original 1985 storage heaters and wall radiant heaters with air to air source heat pumps. COVID has taught us the importance of ventilation and this is also being included in the retrofit of the building. . In house we shall be building a new sound and lighting desk for our auditorium.

Severn Wye also provided a report on Solar Photovoltaic panels for our south facing roof and battery storage is becoming technically more advanced very quickly However our greatest need now is, “back to the insulation”. We now need to raise over £35,000 to internally retrofit insulation : phase 6 the roof and phase 7 the walls. We are putting on extra shows and activities during this our 90 th year of Drama in Wotton-under-Edge. Please support us by Just Giving and by coming to see our next intimate performance in the Morley Green Room in May 2022.