CONCERT CHAMBER CHARGES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19180, 10 December 1927, Page 17

CONCERT CHAMBER CHARGES.

TO THE EDITOa 0» TUB PBES9.

Sir,—l was interested to read the | I scale of charges which the City Coun- j | cil intend to make for the Municipal j Concert Chamber when it is opened. In this morning's issue of The Mr Seville, uie Town Cleric, stales that the lees set out in the schedule are to be inclusive and that there will not be any extras. What I would like to know is, who i 3 going to pay the loss which must, of necessity, result from this white elephant? The position is that, the City Council has something like £50,000 sunk in the Concert Chamber, the land, and the furnishings. Interest on this sum at 6J per cent, will bo £3250 per annum. The average rental received lor the Concert Chamber is not likely to exceed £l2 12s per letting day of 24 hours. Probably it will tfc very much less. Allowing the lettings to average four a week (and they are not likely to number so many because Monday and Friday are "silent days" as far as letting is concerned) then there will be 208 days in the year upon which the Concert Chamber will return £l2 12s per day. The income therefore can be put down at £2020, although that estimate is well over the figure that will materialise. On this basis the Concert Chamber will show a loss of over £6OO per annum without taking into consideration the wages and expenses of the caretaker, cleaning, lighting, heating, insurance, and last but not least, depreciation and maintenance. In all probability, when everything is taken into consideration, the actual loss .will be between £2OOO and £3OOO per annum. As a ratepayer, I object to my money bein" used for the benefit of outside theatrical companies, who have no interest in the City, and for the benefit of musical societies who are not prepared to pay for their own pleasure. It would be interesting to hear what Mr Flesher has to say about the proposed charges and about the Concert Chamber generally. Mr Flesher was responsible for the idea of building

a Concert Chamber, but his scheme was a worthy oue, and I cannot imagine that it was his idea to foist on to the ratepayers an unbusinesslike proposition, which is what the Concert Chamber undoubtedly is. Had Mr Flesher's excellent ideas been carried out, we would have had a building to be proud of and one that would have proved useful and profitable.—Yourß, etC '' RATEPAYER,