A FORMER mayor has suggested that a major Winchester theatre should move.

City councillor Eileen Berry believes that the Theatre Royal in Jewry Street could relocate to a bigger venue.

However Iain Steel, whose grandfather twice saved the theatre, said he would be reluctant for it to move but said that the theatre is looking at future expansion.

Cllr Berry monitors the Live Theatre Winchester Trust and her thoughts were in a report to the overview and scrutiny committee at Winchester City Council.

She said the Theatre Royal struggles to compete with the likes of The Mayflower in Southampton and The Anvil in Basingstoke, and suggested it should move to the River Park Leisure Centre site in nearby Hyde.

Speaking to the Chronicle after the meeting, Cllr Berry said she would like to see the theatre have the same sort of offer as at bigger theatres in HampshireCllr Berry said: "I am thinking of a venue that could take every conceivable show, there is the Mayflower in Southampton that's doing very well and has more than 800 seats. I want there to see a show which also incorporates supper and the food.

"At the Mayflower I saw a show and had supper and the ambience the service was tip top.

"It was all pre-booked and pre-done you can't do that because you really only get a 10 per cent discount on the food at bars and restaurants along Jewry Street, we do not seem to incorporate that sort of thing.

"People will say I am thinking out of the box and being too ambitious but if we do not think out of the box nothing would progress at all."

Theatre bosses downplayed moving to another venue, but said they are actively looking at increasing the capacity of the venue.

President of Winchester Musicals and Opera Society, Iain Steel, who sits on the board of the Theatre Royal Trust, said:"I do understand that maybe a bespoke centre could go in to the River Park site, there is a potential idea to gain us another 40 to 50 seats here and that is something that chief executive Deryck Newland is going to advise further.

"It would be a shame for a move away because of the beauty of our theatre," added Mr Steel.