THE Lister Hall, an historic and popular venue in Dursley, has been under threat of closure for the last five years as the Lister Club has struggled to meet the cost of bills and renovations. The Gazette is campaigning to save the hall, which needs a substantial amount of money for refurbishment and repairs to the roof.

Hundreds of people have now pledged their support to the campaign, as Claire Marshall reports.

OVER 450 people have given their backing to the Gazette campaign to save the Lister Hall.

Since beginning the campaign in November last year, hundreds of people have filled in campaign forms to show their support for the venue in Long Street, Dursley, which needs substantial funding for renovations.

And it's not just the people of Dursley who want to save the historic hall, as residents from Wotton-under-Edge, Tetbury, Hardwicke, Bristol and Gloucester have all put their name to the campaign.

Anne Eamer, from Wotton-under-Edge, said: "I go and see all the shows by the Dursley Male Voice Choir and the DODS (Dursley Operatic and Dramatic Society). They really need the hall, it is an ideal location and it is the largest hall in the area."

Ruth Omrod, from Dursley, said: "To me the Lister Hall seems like a place people can gather and enjoy themselves. So many things are moving out of Dursley, we need to keep them here or else there is nothing to do.

"If we manage to keep the Lister Hall for activities I think that will be a very happy thing."

The chairman of DODS, Frankie Telford, handed out Gazette campaign flyers at their pantomine last week and received an excellent response.

"We have had lots of flyers back already and there are more to come. Whole families have filled in campaign slips and we have support from people as far away as Bristol."

This month it was confirmed that the popular rock and roll evenings would return to the Lister Hall one night a month, with a packed programme of top local bands.

Mike Ball, organiser of the event, said: "The rock and roll nights were run last year and the year before and they were very popular.

"We want to save the Lister Hall because it is the best events venue in the area.

"All the bands we hire say they enjoy playing in the hall, they ring me up and ask to come back because it is a great venue and a great crowd."