Theatre to receive new £20k grant for groups

THE Kenton Theatre in Henley will receive another grant of £20,000 from the town council so it can continue to subsidise hire costs for community groups.

Dozens of groups, including the Henley Players and Henley Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society, are currently eligible for a discount of up to 50 per cent.

Last year, the council gave the theatre a £100,000 loan and an additional £20,000 to keep the discount running.

Dennis Oliver, trustee of the theatre, told Tuesday’s finance strategy and management committee that while they have improved their finances, they still needed the grant.

He said: “We all met a year ago almost to the day and I would like to take this opportunity to explain the progress that I think we have made. You were kind enough to make a loan to the theatre and then also extend a grant. Twelve months ago I think it is fair to say we were in the recovery room and I think things have improved.

“When we met last year we were asking for a grant to help us subsidise community groups within the Henley area. We had been giving subsides to the tune of about £48,000 to local community groups.

“We have built our financial plans around that and given the nature of our business we have got forward bookings for 12 months with a whole raft of people. But our financial plans are quite dependent on the money that we are getting from you. I think it is not just for the theatre per se, it is for a much larger group of community organisations. I just hope you can find your way to extending the grant for another two years.”

Councillor Ian Reissmann, who chairs the committee, said: “We did met up with you earlier and you explained the delicacy of your continuing financial situation. You are, as you say, in recovery but there is some work to go.”

Cllr Stefan Gawrysiak said: “I speak in support of the Kenton grant of £20,000, the Kenton theatre came to us a year ago because of various things and was about to close. The theatre is a cultural centre of Henley. It supports professional performances, for example, by Michael McIntyre but 60 per cent of its offering is for community-based organisations.

“The management said that they would support the funding of these organisations to the 50 per cent of the professional fee. Dennis has said they subsidies community organisations to the tune of £48,000 and they are asking us for £20,000 of that, they still have to find the other £28,000.”

Cllr Gawrysiak said that the theatre had demonstrated that it had been passing on the subsidy and so was in favour of giving the grant again.

Cllr Reissmann told the meeting that he had met with representatives of the Kenton to discuss restructuring its loan or reduce the amount as its own budget getting tight.

He said: “It was clear from what the Kenton was saying their finances were already under very significant challenge and they needed us to go by the commitment we made a year ago.”