Cannock theatre bar's is 'too small'

The bar at a Staffordshire theatre is too small to subsidise the venue, a review has found.

Cannock Chase Council's scrutiny committee will on Monday consider the results of the review of the Prince of Wales Centre's operation.

The review has been carried out by a group of seven councillors in recent months. The group found that the theatre in Church Street was providing a value for money service. The Prince of Wales received £347,915 net subsidy for 2008-2009 — 19.3p per council tax payer.

But the councillors found that the upstairs bar area was too small to generate a surplus to cross-subsidise other theatre activities.

They are recommending that a larger bar is needed to be part of the ultimate re-development of the theatre as part of the Cannock town centre regeneration. The theatre also lacks a studio area for community use as well.

Members of the working group found there was little scope to reduce expenditure of subsidy and opening the theatre for more performances could lead to a higher subsidy level to meet staffing and premises costs.

The group is recommending that the existing level of subsidy should be maintained.

The council's director of culture and regeneration Tony McGovern will also be presenting a report on the Prince of Wales Centre in a private session of the committee.

The council decided to carry out a review after concern about a fall in audience numbers last year in the wake of the recession.

Ticket sales at the theatre were eight per cent down in the first six months of 2009-2010 and income fell 5.7 per cent. It followed a rise in the number of seats sold over the previous two years. The council tax payers' subsidy for the theatre has been more than £2 million over the last five years.

When the eventual re-development scheme goes ahead the Prince of Wales Centre, Cannock's ageing multi-storey car park and the market hall are set to be demolished and replaced with a brand new retail complex including a new theatre.