Warning over Scarborough Futurist theatre end

29th July 2010

The man behind Scarborough’s Futurist Theatre has warned closure of the historic seaside venue would cast a black mark on the town’s tourist industry. Barrie Stead, who has spearheaded the destiny of the threatened theatre during recent years, said the building was an essential component of Scarborough’s cultural sector and intrinsic to boosting the local economy.

The venue, which was last year handed a £100,000 cash lifeline by Scarborough Council to continue operating until 2011, has recently been rocked by the deferral of a key £290,000 grant from Yorkshire Forward which had been earmarked to fund leases for the theatre’s development.

Mr Stead said the money shortage was a major blow, but remained convinced a renovated Futurist – which is the fifth biggest theatre in the country outside London – was important in providing Scarborough with a catalyst to drive its economy forward and warned its demise would have far-reaching consequences.

He said: “It would be a black day for Scarborough if the Futurist is closed. The Futurist does not have to be mothballed because it provides a good service for the town and if it was given an upgrade I fully believe it could be the pivot to help make the town the number one resort in the country. If it closes there will be a big outcry because nobody wants to see a boarded up building in the town and it certainly wouldn’t be good for a resort like Scarborough to have one if its main stretches of promenade blighted by an empty building.”

Mr Stead, who runs the venue with his wife and business partner Brenda, was a key speaker in the fight to save the Futurist during Scarborough Council’s Task Group consultation process, and denounced claims from consultants who estimated a £10 million bill would be needed to return the building to its former glory.

He said they remained committed to the venue despite perennial worries over leases that had forced them to miss out on acts, and believed an interim period of improvements would be the best solution in reaping long-term benefits for the venue.

He said: “We are carrying on but we are still obviously restricted by the subsidy we receive which means we cannot book shows well in advance therefore we are left behind somewhat. Everyone understands the problems with the economic situation and perhaps there is scope to keep the venue open on similar level to what we have been doing for the past years. If it can be maintained and kept open for the next couple of years while the economy hopefully stabilises, then it could be upgraded and revitalised then.

Mr Stead added he was overwhelmed at the support the Futurist has received, which included more than 15,000 people backing the venue during an Evening News reader campaign, and said it was still a major component of Scarborough’s tourism industry.

Source: Scarborough Evening News