FARINGDON Dramatic Society has projected a blueprint for the town's ailing Community Centre to become a new focus for the performing arts.

As well as providing a home for their own productions and for visiting theatre groups, concerts, recitals, choral, dance, slide lectures and other local activities, ambitions even stretch to the provision of a 'part-time' studio cinema.

The Society has already won initial support in principle from the building's landlords, the Town Council, for their bid to set up a partnership with other local organisations to refurbish and re-equip the theatre to give it an exciting new lease of life. They are particularly keen to offer a professional venue for local youth theatre productions and workshops.

Their vision is to separate the theatre from the rest of the building - whatever role it takes following the financial collapse of the Community Association that ran it until last month.

Whatever future lies in store for the rest of the Community Centre building, Faringdon Dramatic Society believe that their members have the proven enthusiasm and practical skills to be able to take a lead role in transforming the theatre into a self-contained, vibrant arts and activities centre. Said spokesman Alistair Warner: "We see the theatre as a real asset for the town, but it needs redeveloping and taking forward in new ways.

In return for having significant control over the way the theatre is operated, the Dramatic Society is prepared to invest cash as well as voluntary labour in ambitious schemes such as the urgent re-flooring of the stage and refurbishment of the below-stage storage area, new curtains, better lighting and sound, a new access onto Swan Lane, fixed seating and possibly even a balcony and orchestra pit.

Mr Warner explained that his Society was looking to be the lead partner, in association with other community groups, in a non-profit-making venture, Which could attract substantial grant funding.