When North Yorkshire Council announced it was to review its arrangement with cultural venues, the decision painted an uncertain future for Harrogate Theatre.
The theatre’s long held agreement to programme entertainment at the council-owned Royal Hall and Harrogate Convention Centre falls under the review.
The theatre has held its agreement to programme the Royal Hall and Harrogate Convention Centre since 2011.
The review announced by the council is likely to have serious financial consequences for Harrogate (White Rose) Theatre Trust, the charity that operates the theatre.
The move would mean the council taking over programming for events, such as music, comedy and drama, at the Royal Hall and for larger scale entertainment events at the convention centre from 2025/26.
After receiving the news, the theatre said it intended to seek alternative funding models but declined to comment further. It leaves question marks over what approach it will take to adopt its financial model and what it will mean for Royal Hall and convention centre visiors.
Harrogate Theatre.
In neighbouring Leeds, much of the culture offering is provided by Leeds Heritage Theatres, which is the trading name of Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House Limited.
The charitable organisation is a council-owned company and manages three venues: Leeds Grand Theatre, Hyde Park Picture House and City Varieties Music Hall.
Much like Harrogate, the theatre makes the vast majority of its income from ticket sales. However, it employs 211 staff and made £17.2 million in income last year – of which it spent £16.5 million.
By comparison, according to its latest set of accounts filed with the Charity Commission for the year ending March 31, 2023, Harrogate Theatre generated £4.2 million income and spent £3.9 million.
Its biggest source of revenue was from incoming tours, which brought in £1.4 million, while its own produced work, such as the pantomime, generated £763,303. It also received grants from Arts Council England and the now-defunct Harrogate Borough Council.
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The Stray Ferret understands that concerns over the future of venues such as the Royal Hall is shared by staff.
North Yorkshire Council currently employs staff in Scarborough to put on productions at venues such as Scarborough Spa.
The council may be tempted to use this model elsewhere — however this would raise questions over where staff would be based.
A Freedom of Information request to North Yorkshire Council revealed other venues in the county may be affected as part of its review.
In response to the Stray Ferret, the council said:
“The review will affect all cultural venues that currently receive support from North Yorkshire Council.
“The review has not yet concluded and therefore the impact on individual organisations is not yet known.”
The council reiterated in its response that no decisions on the outcome of the review have been made.
Uncertain funding
The move is symptomatic of a wider challenge facing the theatre sector.
Cuts to local authority budgets across England mean no venue is safe from a reduction in funding.
This past week, Birmingham City Council announced dramatic cuts to funding for the culture sector – including a 50% reduction in funding to Birmingham REP Theatre.
The review unveiled by North Yorkshire Council is less drastic, but still requires the trust which runs Harrogate Theatre to scope for further funding options.
Darren Henley.
It’s a matter that has not escaped the attention of organisations like Arts Council England.
Darren Henley, chief executive of Arts Council England, said budget cuts and the need for local authorities to save money had led to many theatre bodies looking to the organisation for help.
He said:
“We’ve heard the concerns of all people in the sector from board level to volunteers. There are worries about the lasting impact of the pandemic – with audiences unpredictable and with talent leaving. Inflation means higher bills for individuals and organisations.
“Pressure on our funds creates more competition. And there’s uncertainty about future investment, illustrated most starkly by some recent local authority section 114 notices.”
A spokesperson for Arts Council England told the Stray Ferret that it remained in contact with both Harrogate Theatre and North Yorkshire Council over the theatre’s future direction.
They added:
“We understand that organisations across the cultural sector, including theatres, are currently facing challenges, from rising fixed costs to the continued recovery from the pandemic and pressure on local authority budgets.
“At the Arts Council, we are doing all we can to support cultural and creative organisations, and to make the case for future investment, so the sector can continue to provide world class creativity for communities everywhere. Ensuring local investment in culture is vital, as we know it changes people’s lives for the better, and we are working with local authorities to support continued investment in the cultural sector.”
Council bosses in North Yorkshire may not have cut funding to cultural venues, but they have left organisations such as Harrogate Theatre in doubt about future finances.
The Stray Ferret asked the council why the review had been launched in the first place and whether there was a timescale on when it would be complete.
However, we did not receive a response by the time of publication.
The council is aiming to save £70 million over the next three years. It has cast its net wide to make income and the culture sector is not immune.
The Stray Ferret asked Harrogate Theatre what financial models it had looked at in light of the review announcement. A spokesperson said it did not “have any comment to make at this time”.
This drama, it seems, is still unfolding.
