THE notion that MHDC is contemplating selling the Malvern Theatres complex to anybody is subject to two main questions:
1. Does the council have the right to sell the complex in the first place. No doubt the lawyers will scrutinise the archives, as they may well find it must remain in the council's ownership in perpetuity, as many public buildings are.
2. Any company contemplating purchase will have to allow in their calculations to obtain a profit on the deal, that the £204,000 annual grant for the Council - cut this year from £227,00 - plus £60,000 annual overheads to cover the "front of house" costs (currently provided by the Friends free of charge) will have to be covered in their costs.
Ticket prices are already at their peak, so how will they achieve their goal of making money out of the deal? The current limited capacity of the building prevents profitable trading now.
The whole idea is a nonstarter - but am I missing the real motive?
FRANK HARE, Chapel Lane, Cradley.
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