Councillor’s vow on Open Air Theatre
The Open Air Theatre
SCARBOROUGH Council has reiterated it will stage its own shows at the Open Air Theatre this summer – following fears the venue could remain closed all year.
Public concern had grown that the troubled £3.5 million venue could stay empty after operators Apollo failed to unveil its 2012 programme as planned on Tuesday, with only months to go until the start of the summer season.
But David Jeffels, the council’s tourism portfolio holder, moved to reassure residents. He said: “This isn’t a case of the council attempting to out-muscle Apollo. We’ve said from the outset that we’re looking to complement whatever Apollo come up with. Whatever they come up with, we will augment with our own acts.
“The theatre is big enough to host whatever is on offer to us, we just have to make sure it’s appropriate for Scarborough.”
Cllr Jeffels’ comments come a day after the operator took to the social networking site Facebook to defend itself.
On a fan page linked to the much-maligned venue, statements were posted blaming the council for the delay in announcing this summer’s programme.
A statement from the Open Air Theatre said: “The council received a draft of our events programme for their approval and promised us a response by close of play last Thursday as they were aware that we were planning to release on January 31.
“They then told us on the Thursday that they would not be coming back to us until early this week so we have been forced to delay the release of the programme.”
They added “issues” with the venue – most notably the addition of a platform to house additional seating to increase its 6,500 capacity – would not be sorted this year and so were working within the current “constraints” in order to fulfil their minimum contractual obligation - believed to be six headline acts.
Scarborough Council declined to respond to the claims.
However, the team behind the theatre have debunked rumours Apollo intends to sever its ties with the venue, adding: “We must stress that we hold a 25 year license for the theatre and are in this for the long haul.”
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Comments
There are 19 comments to this article
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Rufus_T_F
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 02:23 AMRegarding #7; I thought the above photograph was taken whilst the Krankies were performing!
baznpat
Monday, February 6, 2012 at 02:41 PMCouncil putting on shows? what The Chuckle Brothers..Mama Mia..Tribute Bands..Ken Bloody Dodd..Give us a break and just shut it down it was and always will be a WHITE ELEPHANT..MUPPETS!!!!
insidertrader
Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 03:04 PMYou're all missing the point here. Apollo took on a very generous and poorly written contract that any bright business could run a coach and horses through. Apollo via Paul Greig bleat on that they are so disadvantaged by the intransigence and further generosity of SBC that they can't possibly put acts on - and then say they have a terrific (secret) line up of acts. What planet are they on? Apollo negotiated and accepted the terms of the contract so must now deliver the goods not excuses which only reflect badly on them and their (lack of) business acumen. Lets not let this two-bit 'giant' of the entertainments industry hold us to ransom. Its time that the targets of residents ridicule, Messers Archer, Dillon and Fox did what the people expect of them and enforce the contract as is.
Crossgates View
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 11:41 AM#15, yes and BBC Radio York is probably the best. I don't often buy the SEN anymore because it's so far out of date, you need to get back to "EVENING NEWS" i.e. coming out in the afternoon with 24 hours news up to that morning. It's ridiculous at the moment. Also, Apollo ?? more hundreds lost in ticket sales. GET IT ANNOUNCED !
Earth Angel
Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 08:03 AMEver since the SEN went to print out of town it's gone downhill we get yesterdays news the day after, you can hear more about whats going on in Scarborough from the locals or Yorkshire Coast Radio.
aerialviews
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 07:33 PMSERIOUSLY why does SBC completely mess up EVERYTHING it does? EVERYTHING without fail, it excels in failure? It's about time Alan Ayckbourn completed a play about SBC's council chamber! It would undoubtably be a best seller. In fact it would have to be a series, practically one a month. Narcissist councillors who know nothing about entertainment or tourism can't even ensure the 2012 program is released in time. Cllr Jeffels states that 'Whatever they come up with, we will augment with our own acts'! Cllr Jeffels, it will soon be half way through February in the year 2012, can you not look at your reflection and say to yourself 'this is the year 2012, the public will not wait around for me to get my act together, they the public will have already booked the events they want to see in summer season 2012, I really must get my act together or there will be no acts to get together'. Managers of successful entertainment companies will already be booking acts for the year 2013 and 2014. Having spats with your business partners, spats in the open for everyone to see, is just about as unprofessional and irresponsible as one could possibly imagine. This is a public enterprise, public money, an amazing public asset venue that's being managing and dragged down to its knees by the most embarrassing, unprofessional, some say Narcissistic SBC behavior.
garfield
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 12:38 PMmisread this... I thought that Scarborough Council cabinet member's would be putting on their own show in Concert Party style... I mean they perform comical farces and sing the same old tunes day in day out
FairDealForFiley
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 12:33 PM#3 - If the SEN does go the profits at the Leeds Arms will drop with fewer 'business meetings' on expenses. At least Sly and his bunch will still frequent. Its about time the SEN did its job and found out who exactly is to blame and inravel the whole sorry mess of the OAT. God forbid that SBC book the acts and organise or we, as tax payers, are going to be one hell of a lot out of pocket. They could not make a profit selling ice cream in the desert.
tinpotgodslayer
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 11:15 AM10# charming I am sure pfftttttttt.lol This is no surprise to any who comment on here and have shown a passion for this town. It has been said already but it is time for those who got into bed with this lot (and others i might add) and get out of the SBC bed altogether, their positions especially the council leader and the officer in charge of this area to fall on their sword. But more importantly it is time for them to show the people of Scarborough that they do actually care about the decline of this once fantastic and thriving and that it is not lip service they pay. Only resignation before being booted out will give everyone the right, honourable and moral outcomes. Do it now before it is too late for YOU, the Town and its people. In short be honest for a change.
Crossgates View
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 08:46 AMCome on Apollo, show some backbone and tell us what is coming. Obviously 6 acts are booked and those acts will want tickets selling asap. I am not surprised it is the seating issue that has been the hold up, and it is good news for the future that acts want the arena to become bigger. Let's get on with it too SBC, do not let us hit the weekend without an announcement or else I would suggest it is time for resignations at town hall. Worst scenario would be for SBC to book different acts as we will end up with a year of tin pot crap and big losses.
throxenbylad
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 08:36 AMSBC and Apollo need to stop beating each other up. They are supposed to be partners!
spy
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 07:30 AMOn #2 heavensentmum - All part and parcel off the financial car crash that is Johnson Press. The Whitby Gazette used to be once a week. JP decided to grab more revenue about 20 years ago by doing a Tuesday edition and splitting the story between the two issues. God my Nana grumbled about that - constantly. JP are dead in the water. The best that can be hoped is that they go under and someone else takes over the business. JP own the Yorkshire Post - god knows who they managed to f up the business but they did - same type of people as SBC I guess.
Sue Donim
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 07:21 AMI was only joking when I suggested The Krankies ! Now its beginning to look more like reality !
JohnSouthCliff
Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 11:08 PMHere are two suggestions for the first show to be put on by the Council: Carry on Up The Town Hall or Carry on in the Open Air Theatre on my iPad.
SirChasm
Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 08:04 PM2# Thought that for a while about the SEN, it is the changing face of local media, the amount of news around it would make sense, should make it a much better paper, it could do more in depth articles. As for this ongoing story, not sure if Apollo actually have some acts lined up, but are just playing stupid beggars. Or they have nothing and are stalling.
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