MP Sir John Hayes has called for more information on the future of the South Holland Centre after his initial response to the district council who operate the venue was ignored.
Last week he openly published a new letter to South Holland District Council who last month voted through a restructuring of staff from 26 roles to seven, a move that local arts groups have expressed concern about.
In the letter, Sir John states: “Further to my letter of July 24 to which I have received no reply, I write again regarding the South Holland Centre.
“Given the council’s commitment that live performances will continue at the South Holland Centre following a staffing restructure, I am seeking your reassurances about the timetable for the resumption of performances and confirmation of their range and character.
“In addition, this new beginning at the centre should be used as an opportunity to expand, rather than reduce, the kind of artistic endeavours staged there.
“In addition, I am seeking confirmation that local performing arts groups such as Act II and SADOS will be able to continue to put on their shows at South Holland Centre at no extra cost to what they have charged historically.”
A South Holland District Council spokesperson said today (Tuesday, August 24): “We can confirm that we are still working towards the return of live shows to the South Holland Centre from October this year, and have had positive meetings with local groups in recent weeks about hosting their future performances and the potential for them to return even sooner if they wish.
“There are no current plans to increase the charges for these groups, and these will always be designed to offer the best possible price for our community whilst covering the core costs of them using the venue.”
