Royal Hall set to spark cultural revolution as plans steam ahead

Concerns have been growing over the future of the Royal Hall because of a lack of events at the historic venue, which was officially reopened by Prince Charles in 2008 following a revamp which cost £10.7m.

Discussions have been underway for more than six months to secure its future, with the running of the Royal Hall due to be taken on by managers at Harrogate Theatre. However, the Yorkshire Post revealed on Saturday that the talks had been hit by the latest financial setback amid a six-figure funding shortfall.

But a summit meeting of leading figures from the theatre and Harrogate Borough Council was held yesterday to ensure that the deal is not derailed.

Details of a programme of events for this spring has also been unveiled by Harrogate Theatre which includes a series of high-profile shows at the Royal Hall – some of which have already sold out.

Among the acts that are confirmed to appear at the Grade II listed Royal Hall are comedian Dara O’Briain and musician Bob Geldof as well an evening with Honor Blackman and a performance featuring the stars of the popular BBC show Strictly Come Dancing.

The bid to breath new life into the spa town’s venues has been heralded as the biggest shift in the Harrogate district’s arts world in the last half-a-century.

Harrogate Theatre’s chief executive, David Bown, said: “This is one of the most significant developments for the cultural landscape of Harrogate and district in the past 50 years.

“This season of work really does offer something for everybody and allows the arts to be showcased in the town.

“If the merger is successful it will allow a coherent and combined artistic identity to blossom in the district resulting in a multi-venue organisation hosting and producing internationally renowned work, which celebrates creative collaboration, audience engagement and artistic excellence for many years to come.”

Harrogate Council announced in June last year that it was considering leasing the Royal Hall to an external operator such as Harrogate Theatre.

It emerged that taxpayers have been footing a daily bill of £1,000 to operate the venue, which staged just 57 events during 2010-11.

However, concerns were voiced last week over a setback in the proposed deal for Harrogate Theatre to oversee the Royal Hall in the future with a joint programme of entertainment. Russell Davidson, who is the director of the theatre, claimed the Harrogate International Centre (HIC) had revealed a £150,000 first-year subsidy would no longer be available.

Mr Davidson, who is also the chairman of the Royal Hall Restoration Trust, warned that the six-figure shortfall could put an end to the highly-anticipated takeover bid.

But Coun Jim Clark, the chairman of the theatre’s board, was adamant yesterday that the deal to take on the running of the Royal Theatre would come to fruition.

He added: “We recognise the financial difficulties that the council is facing (amid the Government cutbacks), and that is why we need to make sure that we provide a deal with the best value possible.

“But I do see this as an investment for the future, and, if we put together the right deal, the potential is enormous.”

Harrogate Borough Council’s leader, Don Mackenzie, has moved to allay concerns that the future of the Royal Hall has been thrown into doubt amid the funding shortfall.

But he admitted taxpayers would almost certainly have to finance the bid by Harrogate Theatre to take over the running of the Royal Hall.

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