SHOCKWAVES reverberated across Falmouth this week as its longest-running arts and theatre venue closed its doors without warning.

A notice on the door on Monday night saying all films were cancelled was the first sign that something was amiss at The Poly, formerly Falmouth Arts Centre.

Poly Trading Ltd, the commercial arm of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society (RCPS) created in 2006 to help it achieve its charitable objectives of providing a venue for all arts, has ceased trading after getting into financial difficulty. Discussions are currently taking place with administrators.

A total of 16 full-time, part-time and temporary staff have been made redundant. The centre has carved out a niche in the arts world, partly for being one of the county's only place to see non-mainstream films.

RCPS chairman Keith Hambly-Staite said: "The decision was taken very reluctantly but we cannot go on supporting a failing company.

"The impact of the recession, cost of running it and lack of public money are factors.

"The new cinema in Falmouth won't have helped.

"The staff worked hard to increase footfall and in many ways the fall into the cinema was above the national average, but if was often only half-full."

He also said the constraints of having a Grade II-listed building with little disabled facilities added further problems.

Last year the venue also lost the Cornwall Film Festival, a mainstay at the centre, which moved to the new Merlin cinema.

The RCPS itself will continue to run. "The society itself is not insolvent and will continue to work on projects.

"We won't be opening as a cinema or theatre again," said Mr Hambly Staite. "The question is how to use the building in other ways."

Geoff Greaves, of Merlin Cinemas, which operates the Phoenix multi-screen in Berkeley Vale, said: "We are very sorry to hear they have problems. We always felt there was room for both types of venue."

Within hours of the news a campaign on the Facebook website to save the centre was created by local actor and director Ciaran Clarke.

Twitter

By the time the West Briton went to press there were more than 2,500 fans. The Twitter networking website was also full of comments about the closure.

A founder of Near-Ta Theatre, which used the Poly for performances, Mr Clarke said: "The Poly is a wonderful and intimate little arts centre that brings so much to the town, offering young people an opportunity to perform in a 200-seat theatre, showing a diverse selection of excellent films, bringing excellent live music to your doorstep and giving young and local artists the opportunity to have their work exhibited in a great gallery space, right in the centre of one of Cornwall's busiest towns.

"The thought of Falmouth without an arts centre is a fairly bleak one."

He said a suggesting from one RCPS member was that people join the charity for a fee.

An online petition can be accessed via the facebook page or by visiting www.ipetitions.com/petition/saveourpoly

Falmouth mayor Geoffrey Evans said: "It is quite a shock and come out of the blue. It is very disappointing but the times we are in. It is quite a blow for Falmouth as it was the hub of the community."

Donna Anton, Cornwall Film Festival chairman, said: "Clearly it's terrible news for the entire arts community in West Cornwall. I can only hope there exist some rational solutions to the Poly's financial troubles."

An answerphone message at the centre says customers with tickets for future events will be refunded either directly to their account or by returning them to the Poly.

If you have any memories or photographs of the Poly send them to Ginette Davies at gdavies@c-dm.co.uk or 20 High Street, Falmouth, TR11 2AB.