There was “relief” at Harrogate Theatre as the government announced a £1.5bn rescue package for the arts, but the long-term picture for the venue remains bleak.
Announced late on Sunday evening, prime minister Boris Johnson said the money will help venues “stay afloat and support their staff whilst their doors remain closed and curtains remain down.”
David Bown, chief executive of Harrogate Theatre told the Stray Ferret he welcomed the announcement as it “had been a long time coming” but said they are awaiting further details on how much money might be available to them.
He said:
“It feels as though it’s good news but the devil will be in the detail.”
The government will offer £1.15 billion for cultural organisations which will be made up of £270 million of repayable finance and £880 million in grants, with applications opening later this month.
Mr Bown said the theatre is losing £1 million every three months and an injection of funds could help them become financially stable in the short-term.
In recent days pressure built on social media for the government to rescue the arts sector through the hashtag #SaveTheArts, with several actors making appeals, including Harrogate Theatre patron Reece Dinsdale.
Mr Bown said:
“We’ve all enjoyed Netflix over the last three months but it all starts here. Those actors have to train in theatres. There will be a matrix of consequences for some time to come.”
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Harrogate Theatre relies on a busy Christmas panto season to help fund it throughout the year which Mr Bown said they may have to cancel due to social distancing guidelines. He said this could have consequences well into 2021.
He added:
“The problem we’ve got is social distancing. We are the antithesis of that. We invite people to come in and share our confined space. That is the opposite of what we’re being instructed to do at the moment.”
Mr Bown also estimated Harrogate Theatre brings in around £25m a year to Harrogate’s local economy which is leaving a “huge hole” the longer it remains closed.
A video was published over the weekend about why Harrogate Theatre is important to the community, which you can watch below.
