Theatre Royal optimistic people will support fundraising campaign for facelift
THE boss of the Theatre Royal says he is "cautiously optimistic" that members of the public will rally round to help fund the landmark venue a multi-million pound facelift.
Adrian Vinken, chief executive of Theatre Royal Plymouth, spoke out after concerns were expressed about the possible impact of the scheme at a council meeting.
Plymouth City Council this week gave the theatre a £2million boost.
Councillors approved a package of measures that will help to lever in £5million of funding from the Arts Council to give the theatre a once-in-a-generation refurbishment.
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The deal will see the city's subsidy for the next three years paid as a lump sum of £1,995,000, to act as match funding for the Arts Council money.
The council, which owns the building on Royal Parade, will lease it to Theatre Royal Plymouth Ltd for 30 years at a peppercorn rent, and give consent for the alterations.
In this week's meeting of the full city council, Cllr Patrick Nicholson (Con, Plympton St Mary) asked how the theatre would manage if its fund-raising efforts fell short.
And Cllr Glenn Jordan (Con, Plympton Chaddlewood) shared the concerns about the theatre's revenue.
But he said: "We sometimes take the theatre for granted. It is one of the best producing theatres outside London – if not the best."
In response theatre boss Mr Vinken said: "We expect that the people of Plymouth and the South West will continue to come to shows to the same level that they have done in the past.
"We are cautiously optimistic that businesses, theatregoers and our other supporters in the region and around the country will be prepared to support this new fundraising appeal to a similar level to that provided in the past.
"If there were a shortfall in fundraising, just as if we sold fewer tickets to our shows, then we would have to do what any business does and adjust its business model accordingly."
Cllr Mark Lowry, the Cabinet member for finance, said the council had "carried out due diligence" before pushing ahead with the funding arrangements. The theatre brings in £26 million a year to the city's economy and the refurbishment will create temporary construction jobs and a number of extra full-time posts.
The 1982 theatre will get a glass-fronted extension housing a new entrance from a freshly landscaped Royal Parade. The ambitious plans include a workshop area with its own theatrical space, a café with a terraced balcony and new bars and shops.
The theatre must wait until the end of October to find out whether it has won the grant. Sponsors, businesses and city people will be asked to dig deep to make up the shortfall. If successful, the revamp would shut the theatre to the public for six months, but bosses have asked for a licence allowing performances at TR2 while work is under way.
Comment – Page 11
Comments
by jackplane
Friday, September 28 2012, 8:49PM
“no need for snide comments jt why should my council tax be spent on things that r not essential plus the fact i have tried to buy tickets in the past guess wot all the best seats gone to friends of the theatre and others before the on sale day ,or will this change if everyones council is being used ?”
by screwdriver01
Friday, September 28 2012, 8:41PM
“The people of Plymouth has been financially supporting this theatre ever since it was built. It is now effectively "saving up" our subsidy to finance improvements. It clearly does not need our money for the running costs and should be stopped.
The theatre is a business should self supporting like all the other business around the country. Why should the people of Plymouth have to pay for non residents cheaper ticket price.”
by JTPlymouth
Friday, September 28 2012, 8:32PM
“In fact, there are grants and EU funding given to various public amenities all the time in the expectation that with a helping hand, in the long term, they will contribute much more £££s to the local economy than they have consumed. I could also mention cultural enrichment but that might be a rather too complicated concept for some to grasp.”
by JTPlymouth
Friday, September 28 2012, 8:29PM
“What like the BBC jackplane?”
by jackplane
Friday, September 28 2012, 8:25PM
“no any other entertainment firms pays it own way or goes of business end of story”
by JTPlymouth
Friday, September 28 2012, 7:56PM
“Quite simply screwdriver01 because tourism and the arts are essential for the city's survival. It's an appalling, neglected city centre that is fast falling behind the likes of Exeter and Bristol and I dare say even little Truro may steal a march on our decaying city centre in years to come. The fishing industry is much diminished and the defence and dockyard industries are a shadow of their former selves.
We have a growing university, tourism is slowly getting there and entertainments such as theatre are really the only things that can save our city which has otherwise gone into reverse gear over the past 5 years.”
by screwdriver01
Friday, September 28 2012, 7:27PM
“I for one don't see why council tax payers of Plymouth should be financially supporting the theatre. £650 000 a year in grants could be better spent elsewhere, especially in these hard economic times”
by blogtodi
Friday, September 28 2012, 8:12AM
“Good luck to them. I, for one, feel that the theatre should remain an asset to the city...”