Agenda item

To provide members with an update on the South Holland Centre (report of the Assistant Director – Communities and Housing Services enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Communities and Housing Services which provided Members with an update on the South Holland Centre.

The Group Manager – Community Leadership introduced the report and highlighted the following points:

• The report updated on activity undertaken in Q1 and Q2 and provided a positive forecast.
• Ticket sales were at almost 14,000, which was higher than the same period last year which had been drive by strong live performances and increased community hires.
• The 2025 Pantomime, Rapunzel, had sold over 10,500 tickets, with further ticket sales expected throughout December.
• The team were continuing to look at income generation opportunities and the relaunch of the wedding offer would take place in January.
• Decoration and lighting enhancement would take place while the centre was closed in January, in addition to the maintenance programme already completed in Q1 and Q2.
• Conversations had recently taken place to source funding for a replacement projector for film.

Members considered the report and made the following comments:

• Who was currently providing the hospitality offer at the SHC?
  • The Assistant Director – Communities and Housing Services confirmed that The Red Lion in Spalding were currently providing this service.
  • The Group Manager – Community Leadership added that this arrangement had been working really well and was a reliable service for visitors to the SHC.
• What service did The Red Lion provide?
  • The Group Manager – Community Leadership responded that they provided snacks, and the bar offer for all performances.
  • The Assistant Director – Communities and Housing Services added that there was an opportunity for merchandise to be sold at some showings. There had been some difficulty with food providers at the venue previously, so care was needed with taking any steps to reintroduce this offer.
• What sort of merchandising was being looked at?
  • The Portfolio Holder for Assets and Strategic Planning responded that this was being discussed as part of the redecoration of the foyer in January, with snacks and popcorn likely being provided in this area of the centre.
• The choice of caterer for hirers of the function hall was a benefit as they were not restricted to one choice of caterer.
• Were there plans in place for use of other spaces within the SHC?
  • The Group Manager – Community Leadership responded that options had been looked at for exercise classes in the basement rooms, but this had not been viable.
  • The team were working with Assets to look at progressing available options and the function hall had a recent enquiry for hire of the venue twice a week.
  • The Portfolio Holder for Assets and Strategic Planning added that opportunities were coming forward to the Assets team every once in a while that were being explored.
• Had work been undertaken in partnership with the Spalding Town Centre redevelopment project?
  • The Group Manager – Community Leadership confirmed that a meeting would be happening soon to progress this further.
  • The Assistant Director – Communities and Housing Services added that the redevelopment plans presented had shown that the public saw the SHC as an anchoring part of the town centre.
• Had the costs recharged to other departments been looked into?
  • The Assistant Director – Communities and Housing Services responded that recharges to PSPS were reviewed annually as part of the budget setting process, but these costs were standard across all Council departments.
  • The SHC team had worked really had to bring income into the service and reduce the overheads.
  • It was recognised that the cost to SHDC for the SHC was worthwhile, given its key place in the town centre.
• Were there barriers to interested parties hiring the SHC more than once a week?
  • The Assistant Director – Communities and Housing Services noted that this was not a message that had been received from hirers and individual cases could be discussed outside of the meeting.
  • Having a fixed programme in place helped to ensure that a broad range of performances were on offer as too many repeats of the same type of performance would affect ticket sales.
• Had programming for films changed?
  • The Group Manager – Community Leadership responded that films were generally programmed for when the centre was open for other functions and events, unless it was a high profile film.
• Did the SHC still receive Arts Council funding? The criteria for this had previously been quite strict and the programmed shows had often been poorly attended.
  • The Assistant Director – Communities and Housing Services confirmed that funding had been received in previous years , but no direct funding recently.  There was always a set of criteria with any funding, but the team made the best use of any funding available to them.
  • The Group Manager – Community Leadership added that they were working closely with the NPO to direct the future funding opportunities to the best use within the SHC’s programme.
  • The Assistant Director – Communities and Housing Services commented that the large scale service review over the summer had brought in fresh eyes to the SHC and new approaches could be developed.
• What was the status of the projector currently being used to show film?
  • The Group Manager – Community Leadership confirmed that conversations were progressing to source funding for a replacement projector
• It was noted that the noise from any events in the function hall would impair the enjoyment of those in the auditorium below.
• Had there been any impact on ticket sales at the SHC following the incorrect signage being displayed regarding the TRO?
  • The Portfolio Holder for Assets and Strategic Planning responded that some concerns had been expressed by visitors when the signage had first been installed but the impact on ticket sales had not been looked into.
  • The Assistant Director – Communities and Housing Services added that the parking was part of the experience of those attending the SHC and opportunities for new conversations about parking had arisen through the new neighbourhood plan for Spalding.

AGREED:

That the contents of the report be noted.