Residents have reacted with sadness to the news a long-established arts school is looking for a new home after spending more than four decades in the same village hall.

Winchester Theatre Arts has been teaching children dance and musical theatre in Kings Worthy for the past 45 years.

Based at The Jubilee Hall, the family-run business started with just 15 students on a Saturday morning.

It’s now home to 10 times that number, taking in pupils as young as three-years-old and tutoring them all the way through until 19.

However, as previously reported by the Chronicle, principal of the school, Claire Goodwin, said it has recently had its hours cut by trustees of the facility.

Registered with the Charities Commission, the trustees told her they feel the hall should instead be made available for further ‘community use’.

This, coupled with increasing rent costs, has forced her to consider moving the much-loved organisation to pastures new.

Steeped in history, Ms Goodwin said while it could prove to be an exciting step in the school’s journey, it’ll be an equally emotional moment when the curtain falls on her time at the hall.

However, the decision has sparked anger among parents and former pupils who say Ms Goodwin has been treated 'unfairly'.

Robina Hatchett has known Ms Goodwin since she started the group in 1977. Her daughter, and granddaughter, are both currently students.

READ MORE: Winchester music festival, Mucky Weekender, prepares to kickstart the weekend at Vicarage Farm

She said: "Thousands of children have passed through the school and now Claire is welcoming third generations of local kids. Claire, Laura and their whole team have worked hard over these years, improving conditions inside and outside the hall, even paying for new chairs for all users to enjoy, replacing older, less comfortable seating.

"It is therefore devastating for all connected with the group to hear that the new conditions of hire from next month will make it impossible for them to continue training at their current venue.

"Why have the trustees not recognised the importance of allowing the school to continue to use the premises? The hall will lose a significant amount of money per month when the Theatre School is no longer there – where are all the new hirers going to come from to make up this shortfall? 

"What will happen to this amazing local dance and drama school if it cannot find alternative premises to hold its classes? And what will happen to the hall if it fails to find alternative hirers in the future?"

Sarah Cronin and her sister were students at Winchester Theatre Arts for 15 years. Now, her daughter, 4, and niece, 5, both attend classes. She says Ms Goodwin has been let down by 'politics' among the trustees.

She said: "The school does so much for the village and various local causes - it raised £2,500 for Ukraine this year."

She added: "It's an inclusive school that really helps build confidence in youngsters; it helped me with my shyness a lot when I was a child. There is no pressure to look or be a certain way and in today's social media-influenced world, it's so refreshing for kids to be able to go somewhere where they are not judged by their peers."

Having just finished their annual show – which saw more than 130 children perform over three days – Ms Goodwin has said no move is imminent, and the school will continue to use both the hall and its studio for the time being.  

The trustees of the hall have been contacted for comment.