BUDE Stratton Town Council is to meet tonight (Thursday), with one item on the agenda that has had everyone talking — the renaming of the Ivor Potter hall.

The Post previously reported on the town council’s decision to rename the Ivor Potter Hall in the Parkhouse Centre to the Parkhouse Centre Main Hall, and the subsequent public dismay at the change.

Because of the way council operates, it is not possible for any one individual to reverse a decision of the council. The procedural way for the council to review a decision is now being followed and a ‘notice of motion’ has been served by six councillors.

It reads: “We the undersigned, in accordance with Standing Orders 9b and 7a, request that the council reconsiders the decisions made by the Full Council on 6 June 2019 (C/103/19) and retain the name of the Ivor Potter Hall in view of the strength of community feeling that has been expressed. Cllrs: R Willingham, H Partridge, P La Broy, P Tilzey, T Philp, T Gibbs.”

Despite this notice only requiring six signatures, others had indicated a willingness to sign it, according to the council.

The discussion surrounding the matter, and any subsequent decision made after will be voted on by all members of the council.

The meeting is held in public and has a 15 minute session for public participation, where those present may make comments concerning the business of the current council.

The meeting will be held tonight at 6.30pm in the Parkhouse Conference Room.

The public outcry over the decision has made many in the community ask the question who was Ivor Potter?

Thanks to Audrey Aylmet, archivist of the Bude Stratton & District Old Cornwall Society, we have found out more about the man who made such an impact on the area,

Ivor Potter was born in the South Lodge, Penstowe, Kilkhampton in 1928. He was most notably a playwright and musician who was well known throughout North Cornwall and beyond for his pantomimes and musical comedies, performed in Bude, Stratton and the surrounding villages.

He began writing and producing shows after returning in 1950 from his National Service during which time, while stationed in Egypt, he had produced a musical entitled ‘Take It or Leave It’ as an entertainment for the troops.

Producing a pantomime and a summer show every year displayed a prodigious amount of talent and dedication. He wrote for youth clubs, young farmers clubs, theatre clubs, football and surf clubs in Morwenstow, Kilkhampton, Bradworthy, Hartland, Bridgerule, Stratton and Bude giving enjoyment to everyone who took part and to audiences amounting to many thousands of people.

The first Kilkhampton pantomime was ‘Dick Whittington’ followed by ‘Jack and Jill’, ‘Cinderella’ and ‘Red Riding Hood’

In 1953 to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, Ivor produced a pageant ‘Happy and Glorious’ involving most of the village, performed in Kilkhampton Parish Hall. The 1956 pantomime ‘A Winter Wonderland Revue, Snow White’ was in aid of the Red Cross. ‘Babes in the Wood’ 1958 was the last pantomime specifically written for Kilkhampton.

The first of his summer shows was ‘Muddlecombe-in-the-Marshes’, also performed in Bude and Stratton. 1955 ‘Buoys and Belles’, 1956 ‘Hearts and Flowers’, 1958 ‘Over the Hills to Muddlecombe’.

Ivor then formed a dance band ‘The Potniks’ playing for various local organisations and in 1960 won a contract to perform in the Grenville Hotel, Bude.

A musical comedy written for the football and surf clubs ‘Away From It All’ had a very successful ten day run in 1960. Bradworthy Young Farmers presented ‘Muddlecombe-in-the Marshes’ in the Bradworthy Memorial Hall in 1961.

In 1972 Stratton Young Farmers opened for two nights in Poughill Village Hall with ‘Over Muckworthy’ and then toured Launceston and Shebbear ending at Holsworthy where two shows were given at the theatre, a venue of which Ivor was very envious, wishing that Bude had a similar concert hall. It was estimated that over a 1,000 people saw this comedy.

In 1974, Bradworthy Young Farmers played the pantomime ‘Robinson Crusoe’ to packed houses in the Memorial Hall. Their next venture in 1975, the 25th anniversary year of Ivor Potter’s productions, was the pantomime ‘Old Mother Red Riding Boots and Her Three Little Pigs’ in Bradworthy Memorial Hall. This was extended to four performances followed by two nights at the Church Hall, Hartland giving much pleasure to hundreds of people, enabling proceeds to be given to many charities. ‘Aladdin’ was their next ‘Potter’ pantomime given again in Bradworthy in 1978, six performances in all and all profits to go to Dr J.B.Betts to use for improving the medical facilities in the village.

Each summer, visitors to Bude looked forward to attending that year’s ‘Ivor Potter’ as being a highlight of their holiday. The Potter Production Theatre Club performed in the Parish Hall weekly throughout the holiday season. This raised a lot of money for numerous charities and contributed to the economy of the town.

In addition, Ivor was writing for village carnivals and shows, Boobs in the Wood, Morwenstow, Up You Chimney for K.A.Ts and Mind Your Manors, in the Grenville Rooms, Kilkhampton. How the West Was Won, and Treasure Island for Bradworthy, Dick Whittington and Down Forget Me Not Lane for B.A.T.S at Bridgerule Parish Hall. Here We Are Again at Stratton Community Hall. It was at the Calor Gas Cornwall Village Pantomime Awards that Ivor was presented with the Gold Award for 50 years of service to pantomime.

Ivor’s fame spread by requests from visitors for permission to perform his plays in Huddersfield, in the Lake District at Kendal, and by the Linthwaite Methodist Players in Yorkshire who produced a play each summer including, Once upon a Mermaid 1977; Widecombe Fair 1978; Honeymoon Holiday 1979; Mind Your Manors 1980; Smuggler’s Creek 1981; Muddlecombe in the Marshes 1982.

Potter Productions was re-named Bude Theatre Club in 1983. The Bude Parish Hall was sold in 1987 so Stratton Community Hall was used instead. But over the years Ivor had campaigned tirelessly for a hall suitable for dramatic productions and as far back as the early 60s he was appealing to the council for a hall, which he said was essential for the growth of his own productions and the encouragement of other groups.

In 1991 all his hard work over the years was rewarded when his ‘Alice in Summerland’ was performed weekly from July to September in the newly opened hall in the Parkhouse Centre by the Bude Theatre Club and the newly formed Bude Youth Drama Group. His summer shows were back in Bude! Ivor died in December 1997 aged 69. As a tribute to him Bude Theatre Club’s 1998 summer production was ‘The Rose of Torridge.’

On the opening night, the main hall of the Parkhouse Centre was dedicated as the Ivor Potter Hall in his memory by the mayor, Gordon Rogers before the cast and a packed audience.

A truly fitting memorial.