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TV star gives thumbs up to new centre name
COMEDIAN, musician and TV star Bill Bailey has backed the renaming of Goole's new arts and civic centre - and is hoping to perform there.
Members of Goole Town Council met on Monday and agreed to name the 2.3 million venue 'Junction', after the Arts Council voiced its concern about the original proposal 'Goole Civic Centre'.
Before the meeting GTC's arts and leisure manager Charlie Studdy was contacted by Bill Bailey - famous for live shows Bewilderness and Part Troll, and his television programmes such as Never Mind the Buzzcocks and Black Books.
Mr Studdy explained: "I was pretty excited to get the call, entirely of his own volition, to make comments about a town he visited some 15 years ago."
Bill originally appeared at The Gate, during its opening season, as one half of the comedy duo The Rubber Bishops.
"He remembers that gig with fond memories," said Mr Studdy, "And so he phoned to add his opinion that Goole Civic Centre wasn't an appropriate name.
"He did offer that if it wasn't called that then he would come and perform."
Bill (44) told the Courier: "I was on the internet and I saw this mention of the debate about the name for the arts centre and the council were thinking it would be called Goole Civic Centre and there were a lot of people objecting.
"I thought this was a very old fashioned name and it should be called something else, the ones that I had seen - The Hub, The Cube and The Junction - any of these would be better.
"Goole Civic Centre conjures up images of the 1960s, of someone reading out council minutes about extending a verge on the roundabout, it doesn't say 'vibrant centre for the arts', which is what these places are."
He added: "These places are where I learnt my trade. The crucial thing is little theatre spaces, dedicted arts spaces where you have an audience that is attentive, listening, where you can attempt to push the boundaries of what you do and learn your trade before you progress.
"It's a platform, a place to perform to the public for comedians, live bands, artists, photographers.
"This is the future. It's vital."
And asked if he would take to the stage at the Junction, he said: "I hope to return."
l See next week's Courier when Bill Bailey tells the story of his first visit to Goole.
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Weather for Goole
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
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