The debate surrounding the future of the Winter Gardens has been raising some interesting comments from VB readers. We felt this one left earlier by Stephen was worthy of its own post. As he has direct experience of working with entertainment venues and therefore well informed. Ed
I work with some entrainment venues like The O2, The Roundhouse – big and city based but nonetheless operating similar, basic business models to the WG.
I’ve also have worked with cinemas, helping to shape their offers and promote them and the other venues to the two audiences that are important.
The trade – promoters and tour managers who decides where their talent performs and in film, distributors who put together the exhibition plans for their movies.
The other audiences are public who might frequent the venues for performances, other events, social occasions and private hire.
Flexible spaces have more chance of success
It is an incredibly difficult market and the venues that do well are the flexible spaces that can provide choices through the year and for a variety of tastes.
The WG is not only a difficult proposition as far as the state of repair is concerned, but it was built a long time ago with, understandably, little appreciation of the technology to come.
It would probably be cheaper AND more productive in the long run to demolish the building, assure the site stability and rebuild a venue that is technologically enabled to provide a range of entertainment and hospitality spaces.
The good news is that the digitisation of entertainment makes that a lot easier and to some extent cheaper than it was a while ago when film was only celluloid, and media storage and production facilities were bulky and the domain of a few highly trained people. Also, a good architect can work to tight budgets using materials that are rooted in semi industrial design but are now accepted in high utility public spaces.
Catering is where the cash is
However, as most people who run venues will tell you, when the talent, promoters, distributors and royalties are all paid, there is little left from receipts for the venue.
It’s the food, drink, concessions and aspects of the the business that are completely in control of the venue that make the money. And make money it must – its future cannot rely on funding, grants and handouts and must be commercially sustainable.
The management of the cafe, bar, restaurants, private hire and the experience a visitor has, from booking to departure, is critical to its commercial success.
Sadly, even competition is failing
That seems like the hardest thing to get right in facilities like the WG. Look around at the number of cafes, restaurants, pubs and bars competing for custom – nearby Goodman’s Bistro failed.
Then ask if the WG experience even comes close to the most average of those, let alone the high performers.
Demolish and rebuild fit for purpose
Surely its time to knock it down, design and build something that supports a strategic plan and launch a venue that is differentiated from other facilities on the island and an attractive proposition to the business of entertainment and an increasingly discerning public.
The most likely way for that to happen is to find a commercial organisation who knows how to make it work and that requires marketing to the trade, and a careful management of the bid process.
I am not sure the IWC has that sort of expertise and subject matter knowledge. Maybe the first investment is an experienced consultant who does.
(Not me or I would have volunteered by now)
Image: © Used with the kind permission of John The Nomad
