We’re grateful to Leeroy for writing up the experiences of those who have worked at the Ryde Theatre in recent years and feel that their voices haven’t been heard.
He was compelled to pull together quotes from staff at Ryde Theatre, which in his view, has been neglected by the Isle of Wight Council for many years. Ed.
It’s a Saturday and there’s urine leaking from the Gent’s toilets into the kitchen below again. The smell of ammonia is so bad the staff – managed by a former bar manager forced to adopt the role after the Council purified the previous administration – have had to light scented candles in the hope the offensive odour will disperse.
Considering the state the fire escape has been allowed to deteriorate into, it’s pointed out that this probably constitutes a fire risk. The candles are swapped for two full canisters of air freshener, the payment for these coming out of the staff’s own pockets.
“Is it true the head of Isle of Wight Tourism drives a Maserati? Man”¦ wonder if he feels for the majority of us in the industry mopping up piss down here on minimum wage?” questions one of the theatre workers.
Some background
According to THE FUTURE OF THE COUNCIL’S THEATRE’S PAPER B:
“The Council took (the) theatres back “in-house” in 2003, in pursuit of better value for money; the Council at that time took the view that the contracts on which the Theatres were to be let would not offer best value for the public purse, so the decision was taken not to let further contracts, but to manage the sites directly.
Although a decision was taken to manage the sites, none was taken, to provide the theatres with a strategic “fit.” There was therefore little prioritisation of funds for the theatres.
This has led not only to a decline in the quality and soundness of the fabric of the buildings, but it has proved a drain on resources; Ryde and Shanklin theatres attract subsidies of approximately £25,000 and £114,000 respectively and neither is run on an economically-sound basis.
Since taking the sites back “in-house”, the Council has not monitored the quality of the product from these theatres from any informed standpoint. There has never been specialist theatrical management provided by the Council for either site; this has furthered the sites’ decline.”
Email from a theatre staff member to Operations Manager
Dated in advance of THE FUTURE OF THE COUNCIL’S THEATRE’S PAPER B quoted above. (Super-abridged version”¦ “HELP!“)
“I have recently read a 2003 report by John Metcalfe’s department concerning the issues that were surrounding the theatre then. I notice not much has changed.
“I will attach my latest findings of my experiences at the theatre and the report to the executive that I read. I care for the theatre and hope my attached report can give you an impression on what has and can be achieved, and look forward to some form of development.
“I am interested in all viable options including private tender, charity status, and salaried agreements. I do not take the decision to contact you lightly, I just want to be the most effective I can be. Hopefully this feedback may shed more insight and lateral thinking with regards the theatre best serving the community.”
How much has been done?
How much needs to be done, and why hasn’t it been done? Opinionated author interjection: It’s not that the left-hand doesn’t know what the right-hand is doing“¦ there’s only a right-hand (with many un-elected fingers), and it’s hoping you’ll forget it’s supposed to move at all if it remains still for long enough.
In 2003, John Metcalfe, then Head of Community Development and Tourism, now Deputy Director for Economy, Tourism and Leisure, was the contact point for a paper making it “clear that both facilities are in need of re-investment, recent condition surveys have identified the need to spend in excess of £330,000 on the theatres to maintain their existing condition.” Seven years (and several more unheeded taxpayer funded surveys later), the most recent council report has seen the figure for the combined maintenance backlog balloon to an estimated £3,900,000.
A Ryde Theatre member of staff speaks out
“They were forced to secure the clock tower because people might’ve noticed if that’d toppled, but nothing major’s ever been done, even though it was acknowledged without repair stuff was deteriorating right from the off. It’s hard to believe whoever’s let things get this bad has got away with it. Ryde Theatre’s grade 2 listed. I’m pretty sure that means the landowner is legally obliged to stop it falling into disrepair. You see that?”
(I’m in Ryde Theatre – the staff member I’m talking to is holding a bucket of water that’s been collected from a leak in the roof. Their remaining free hand points out a torn area of wallpaper right outside the council chambers. He adjusts the bucket to catch a new steady trickle, and continues).
“That’s about the only damage to this building caused deliberately, not by neglect. An ex-member of staff tore it when he’d run out of hair to tear out. He’d been asking for money to perform some minor interior repairs for ages – paint, a bit of wallpaper, a tidy up – not much”¦ just enough to make the place look respectable. They must see it every time they come out the chamber – you have to wonder what any of them do to earn their money don’t you?“
