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Major plans for a much-loved Scarborough venue

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Published Date: 17 November 2009
By Martin Herron
A SPECTACULAR multi-million renovation of Scarborough Spa Com-plex, including the Grand Hall, hopes to herald a new era for the much-loved venue.
History has been made at the Spa, which used to be a favoured venue for political party conferences. It was there that Labour's Harold Wilson made his famous "white heat of technology" speech in 1964 and his predecessor as Labour leader Hugh Gaitskill made the historic "fight, fight and fight again to save the party we love" speech as part of a debate to stop party members voting for unilateral nuclear disarmament.

Tony Blair also made his last public appearance before the 1997 general election in the Spa Grand Hall.

The Spa is just as high profile in the world of entertainment, with everyone from top music hall stars to rock band Feeder treading its boards.

Held in September, Scarborough Jazz Festival has attracted top names including Georgie Fame, Clare Teal and Courtney Pine in recent years and has become a major event on the UK's jazz calendar.

December's Festive Spectacular Charity Carol Concert, in the Grand Hall, is also a traditional favourite. Organiser Nigel Wood said that although he had booked the venue for the 2010 event, the plans were subject to change.

He said: "We have been in discussions and are waiting for news on whether the work will be completed by then.

"We will keep our options open until a committee meeting in February when, hopefully, more guidance will be available."

The Spa continues as a popular venue for conferences with trade unions, businesses and political groups regularly using its facilities. At weekends a host of special interest groups descend on the seafront venue, with everyone from chess buffs to rock and roll addicts getting together to celebrate their interests.

It also hosts a variety of regular entertainment – concerts by the Spa Orchestra and its annual summer show are very much a part of Scarborough's summer scene.

The University of Hull, Scarborough Campus holds its annual degree ceremony at the Spa, which was where Snainton-born Hollywood star Sir Ben Kingsley picked up an honorary degree in 2008.

An episode of TV antiques show Dickinson's Real Deal, hosted by flamboyant presenter David Dickinson, was also filmed in the Grand Hall in April last year.

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  • Last Updated: 17 November 2009 8:34 AM
  • Source: Scarborough Evening News
  • Location: Scarborough
 
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1

Perspicacious one,

17/11/2009 09:17:18
The Spa is just as high profile in the world of entertainment, as the towns backslappers are in the world of winning useless awards.

Perhaps this is why the big names and big shows go to the Futurist.
2

Amaroo,

Scarborough 17/11/2009 11:16:06
"The Spa is just as high profile in the world of entertainment, with everyone from top music hall stars to rock band Feeder treading its boards."

Who is trying to kid who with the above ludicrous comment ?

If Scarborough wants to attract the big stars to perform then they need to refurbish the Futurist. As sure as night follows day the big stars will not consider the Spa. It is simply too small for other than fading stars or shows and the like that do not attract large audiences.

The inference given intially is that Scarborough Council has plans for £10 million worth of work on the venue,that being the Spa theatre. Only when one reads the full article does one become aware that it covers a multitude of items from roads to car parks to the Sun Court.

Sadly one comes to the conclusion that the Spa is the councils and Cllr. David Jeffels 'Pet Project' and come hell or high water they will not entertain any monies being spent on the Futurist. Why ?, I believe that the Council under Tom Fox have every intention of selling it off along with all properties and land owned by the council back up to King Street. All that will be left is the Town Hall itself.

Then the area will be redeveloped. The only hiccup in this scenario is that the council gave a 99 year lease to part of the property that fronts the Forshore and is within the Futurist building. There has to be some motive for this decision !!!!!!
3

pandaman,

scarborough 17/11/2009 11:53:42
Sat 21st Smokie 7.30 PM
Sat 28th One night of Queen Performed by Gary Mullen and ‘The Works’ 7.30 pm December

Sat 5th Rob Brydon 8 PM
Sun 6th The BBC Radio 4 recording of “I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue” Jack Dee, Barry Cryer, Jo Brand, Graeme Garden & Tim Brooke -Taylor. 7.30 PM
Sat 12th Ken Webster Outrageous Comedy Hypnotist Adults Only 8pm
Sun 13th The Chuckle Brothers star in ‘A Christmas Chuckle’. A Family Pantomime 2 PM 2010
This is what is on in Nov and Dec at the Futurist, family shows (except on 12th)this is why we need to keep the futurist going.
I remember when the seafront was packed with coaches dropping people off to see the shows, right outside the place, with the Spa they get dropped off under Spa bridge and walk to the venue.
If the Spa was that good, why didnt the BEATLES play there?????
4

Perspicacious one,

17/11/2009 12:26:36
BREAKING NEWS.

Tony piers, end of the peers summer show to move to the Futurist for one season only.

SBC councillors have agreed to subsidise the Futurist for 2010 only to the tune of £60,000 put on this worse than end of the pier flop.

Watch the SEN for more details early next year.
5

heavensentmum,

17/11/2009 12:48:55
Taken from SBC. Leader's Urgent Decisions
Friday, 13th November, 2009

The Futurist Theatre.
To consider a report by the Head of Finance and Asset Management (Reference 09/684) attached.
Decision:
That:-
(i) the report be received;
(ii) entry into a one year lease in respect of the Futurist Theatre with the existing tenant from 1 January 2010, subject to the payment of a subsidy of £100k be approved; and
(iii) approval be given to the additional subsidy of £40k to be addressed within the Financial Strategy.
6

Amaroo,

Scarborough 17/11/2009 13:06:37
Ah !!!! but Perspicacious one.

Tony Peers is one of the back slapping select Enterprise Gang. He and his co-gang members were shouting from the roof tops when the tin pot worthless awards were 'won' of all the businesses that would rush to Scarborough to setup. Since then he along with all the others have gone into the Council bunker when business after business either closed or made their workforces reudundant. Not a whisper from them.

Tony Peers is already funded for his end of the pier shows that have yet to show a profit. If it moves as suggested to the Futurist then the shows will be playing to about the first 5 rows of the theatre each night if he is lucky.

Just an aside re Tony peers. I read the Council Minutes for Wednesday 24th june 2009 under:-

Item 1 Freedom of the Borough, sub section (iii), Resolved. in pursuance of the provisions of Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972, the Council do hereby admit Mr Tony Peers to be an Honorary Freeman of the Borough of Scarborough as a token of the high esteem in which he is held by the townspeople of the borough and in recognition of his eminent services to the community.

Makes the eyes water on the reason given for the award.

So it indicates from Post 5 that the £40,000 is for a Tony Peers subsidy to put on a summer peir end show, as the Futurist already gets £60,000 or at least did for 2009.

Will Tony Peers have precedence to run his show every night or just an odd night a week to allow the theatre to be run as it is normally ?.
7

Perspicacious one,

17/11/2009 13:07:14
*5 heavensentmum,
I totally agree, so one can only assume that the £50,000 difference is actually being given to Tony Peers for putting on his 'never break even' publicly financed seasonal flop.
8

Perspicacious one,

17/11/2009 13:16:28
*6, Quite correct in your assumptions and after the 2010 season, exit the Futurist, stage left, enter SBC councillors stage right and the councils cronies Benchmark or the like, on promises to council tax payers of luxury flats today and sweet Fany Adams tomorrow.
9

Perspicacious one,

17/11/2009 14:06:55
PS to comment 4,
this should read, SBC councillors have agreed to subsidise the Futurist, for 2010 only, to the tune of £600,000 put on this worse than end of the pier anual flop.
10

hometownboy,

17/11/2009 19:17:10
In spite of who is right and who is wrong the spa needs the money spent on it.The best thing that could happen to it would be that the national trust took over its renovations and day to day operations
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