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Crunch talks over future of Dudley Hippodrome

Campaigners will hold crunch talks with council officials as they try to secure a future for the under-threat Dudley Hippodrome theatre.

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Members of the Friends of Dudley Hippodrome will give more details on how they aim to successfully manage the venue.

They will sit down with Dudley Council's regeneration boss, Councillor Judy Foster, tomorrow for discussions. It comes after Councillor Foster said that the authority would not contemplate further discussions on the group's business plan.

But group chairman Gordon Downing today vowed they would try to persuade her to re-examine the issue. The group will discuss in more detail findings on staffing numbers for similar theatres in the country including The Plaza, in Stourport which was also a bingo hall that was turned back into a theatre. Independent assessors have questioned the viability of friends group's business plan to run the venue. It did highlight funding, staffing and the level of council commitment.

But Mr Downing will tell Councillor Foster that they predict the venue will need around 12 full-time members of staff supplemented by volunteers. He says this is a similar arrangement used by The Plaza, adding: "We know that we would to have a manager, business manager, accountants etc. But volunteers can do other roles like ushers."

They also want to discuss, in more detail, finances from the venue's previous operators Gala Bingo showing some income and expenditure from the premises during its final year of trading.

Mr Downing added: "We have been asking for these talks for a while so it is good that we are sitting down again.

"We just want Councillor Foster and the council to come to the table with an open mind and be prepared to have a proper discussion." Last month, Councillor Foster comment further on the friends group's business plan saying that the authority had 'drawn a line' under the proposal. But she had said the door was open for 'sensible proposals' to run the venue.

Councillor Foster said a report by consultants Artservice had analysed the friends' group proposal to keep the theatre open and found it was not viable. She added the council would be unwilling to back the project with taxpayers' cash.

Campaigners had secured the interest of Bill Kenwright, a major producer of touring musicals, at bringing shows to the Hippodrome. However consultant Alun Bond from Artservice, in his report said it would be unlikely to secure productions from ATG, also known as the Ambassador Theatre Group, which is also one of the UK's leading theatre operators, as this would compete with the New Alexandra, which it operates.

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