Theatre’s record-breaking year raises £7m for town

The theatre has seen its highest ever audience attendances during the last financial year after experiencing a dramatic turn-around in its fortunes.

A marketing campaign along with an overhauled programme of events and an increasing focus on more community-led productions are being credited with helping the theatre become one of the major success stories of the region’s arts world.

The Yorkshire Post revealed last month that a bid is being prepared by Harrogate Theatre to take on the running of the iconic Royal Hall, which has been blighted by soaring running costs.

It is hoped that the theatre’s latest successes will ensure Harrogate Council gives the go-ahead at a meeting next month for the proposed overhaul of the running of the Royal Hall.

The chairman of the theatre’s board, Coun Jim Clark, said: “Over the last five years, we have managed to turn the theatre around from the brink of bankruptcy.

“We are very keen to try and do the same with the Royal Hall. It is a wonderful venue, but it is such a shame that it hasn’t fulfilled its potential.”

The latest figures have revealed that 100,955 people saw 347 live events at the theatre in the last financial year – a three per cent rise on the previous 12 months. Productions played to an average of 70 per cent full houses, equalling the previous year’s figures.

The theatre’s economic impact on the Harrogate area during 2010-11 rose by 18 per cent and stands at more than £7.3m.

One of the biggest successes has been a comedy festival which was launched in 2009 and will be staged again in October when Al Murray, Ed Byrne and Jon Richardson will be among the performers.

Concerns have been growing over the future of the Royal Hall, which was officially reopened by Prince Charles in 2008 after a £10.7m revamp.

Plans were announced in June to slash running costs by appointing a private company to oversee the Royal Hall. Taxpayers are having to foot a daily bill of £1,000 to operate the venue, which staged just 57 events during 2010-11.