Spa Centre wins applause

[dutchman]

Councillors were full of praise for the success of Leamington’s Spa Centre pantomime this year which attracted 16,465 adults and children over its four week run.



Cllr Andrew Mobbs (Con, Park Hill) pointed out that box office takings for Sleeping Beauty were 48 per cent up on Mother Goose in 2010.

And while all members of Warwick District Council’s executive committee accepted that the icy weather had posed a major problem for Mother Goose, this year there were hearty congratulations for theatre manager Anthony Flint and his team.

There was an air of self-congratulation too, as the district council subsidises the theatre and only last year invested a further £140,000 in the installation of new seating.

Finance portfolio holder Cllr Mobbs told Wednesday’s meeting: “Altogether some 27,970 people visited the Spa Centre’s theatre and cinema over the Christmas season.

“Of those 16,465 adults and children went to see Sleeping Beauty which raised £153,871 at the box office.

“This is 48 per cent rise in box office takings on 2010 and 31 per cent up on Christmas 2009 when there was not bad weather.

Cllr Sue Gallagher (Con, Leek Wootton) said: “It’s tremendous this winter the way the Spa Centre has been turned round and we congratulate Anthony Flint for producing the best pantomime ever.

Cllr Gallagher said many visitors over the holiday period would be going to the centre for the first time. The new seating made a real difference.

It’s only two years ago that spiralling losses at the centre in Newbold Terrace were leading to serious doubts about its future.

Mr Flint, who had previously been employed at Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre, oversaw the investment in a refit, making no bones about the fact that the town’s theatre had to compete with the likes of Warwick Arts Centre and that audiences demanded comfortable seats.

He was given two years to turn the theatre’s fortunes around but made such outstanding progress that extra money for the seating was released earlier than planned.

On the cinema side of the business, one councillor expressed her delight that Mr Flint had been able to secure two top new films, War Horse and the Iron Lady for viewing in the coming weeks at the price of £5 a seat or £4 for senior citizens.