Arts Venues Welcome £1.57Bn Government Support

[naomi24]

With so many theatres, etc., on the brink of collapse, good news indeed.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-53302415

[brainiac]

Indeed, three cheers - being discussed right now on Jeremy Vine, Radio 2

[bednobs]

where does it end? So many pubs and restaurants on the brink of collapse too. Are the arts somehow more worthy than pubs? Who knows?

[iluvmargie]

Good, I love going to the theatre.

[naomi24]

Me too, Margie.

[ladybirder]

I think they're all worthy bednobs. Wouldn't want to be without any of them.

[bednobs]

yet you don't see £bns being given to restaurants/pubs

[Zacs-Master]

Yes you do. There have been lots of business loans available and staff have been furloughed.

[Zacs-Master]

https://www.business-live.co.uk/retail-consumer/pub-chain-mitchells--butlers-18407070

[bednobs]

furlough and loans have been available to the arts too

[Zacs-Master]

So you admit you were wrong?

[Cloverjo]

Keeping theatres open will also keep nearby pubs and restaurants going.

[Gromit]

The Government are quite happy to support elitist theatres mainly in London, but sit idly on their hands when Wigan Athletic, Bury FC and Bolton Wanders go bust.
No surprise there.

[Cloverjo]

You’re right, Gromit. You could have had your nanny and cleaner back though, so that’s good for the middle+ classes.

[jno]

every village should have its own elitist theatre. But the ones in London are tourist attractions and worth keeping going.

[Gromit]

jno
Premier League clubs generated £3.3 billion in tax revenue and contributed £7.6 billion to the economy during the 2016-17 season according to recent analysis.

And the Government spend that revenue subsidising tourists’ theatre tickets in the West End of London. Meanwhile Wigan Athletic get zilch financial help when they go bust because paying fans are not allowed in grounds.

[mushroom25]

// Meanwhile Wigan Athletic get zilch financial help when they go bust because paying fans are not allowed in grounds. //

Wigan haven't gone bust just because of that, there's something awfy smelly about their administration. the administrators said that a club going under after only a month "under new management" (sold by one Hong Kong equity firm to another) was a first. there's also supposed to be a video online that alleges the administration is connected to a substantial bet laid in the philippines on Wigan's relegation at the end of the season.

[iluvmargie]

13:29 that's very true. We always have a meal and a couple of drinks either before the theatre or after. Makes a good day out.

[Bobbisox1]

I was very pleased to see this happening, we need theatres and the Arts , if they went , they’d never reopen again as a theatre , good news all round , I love going to the theatre and I miss it

[naomi24]

Deeming theatre 'elitist' is nothing but sour inverted snobbery. Ohhh yes it is!!!

[cassa333]

Hmmm. I’m all in favour of saving theatres. But with any aid I wonder how they will actually use it. We tend to get a lot of ‘quangos’ and ‘working groups’ that suck the pot dry.

For theatres in particular I would simply use last years takings as a benchmark and allow social distancing 8n theatres but the fund pays the other seats that would usually be sold. The fund shouldn’t be used to shore up past deficits or maintenance or shareholders.

Some to pay what they would have got if the lockdown hadn’t happened ie: to pay basic expenses and then a like for like match funding on ticket sales (up to a max match of course).

As much as it might seem unfair I think there should be no bonuses or dividends or anything like that for the time being. These places need to get back on their feet and that’s what the fund should be for.