Campaign launched to save Maidstone's Hazlitt Theatre

Uncertainty surrounds the venue, with the campaign stating that the borough council is warning "'all options' must be considered", in the wake of recent cuts to budgets.

A new petition has been set up to highlight the significance of the space, which first opened in 1955 and is able to sit 353 spectators. It is also the home of the Hazlitt Youth Theatre (HYT) and a variety of other community organisations.

Composer Darren Clark, responsible for two recent five-star musicals – The Wicker Husband and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – has penned a new tune to help support the campaign.

He said today: "Amateur and youth theatre has been a huge part of my life since I was a child, it's where I made friends, learnt about community and where I got a start in my career. I don't know where I'd be without it. This isn't just about The Hazlitt, it's about regional theatres across the country. They are more important than people realise."

You can listen to the song here, sung by youth theatre members Devon Cable and Lee Bradley (and sign the petition below):