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Clereholt
Felday Glade
Holmbury St Mary
DORKING
Surrey RH5 6PG
Lm
January 12th 1996
7
The Chairman
Guildford Philharmonic Choir
13 Vicarage Gate
Onslow Village
Guildford
Surrey
GU2 5QU
Dear John,
The New Cathedral Staging - Costs to the Choir and the Borough
| am writing this letter to you to read out to the Committee in order to
concentrate some minds on what is about to become a contentious issue. It has
indeed been one ever since a "big" solution with grant aid entered the equation.
| have been aware of it and have brought it up on a number of occasions, as has
Chris in his own way. Since we are discussing the proposed Business Plan at the
ASC meeting on Monday 13th, the proposed charges to users of the new Staging are
emerging. These pose no problem for Guildford Choral Society or the Surrey
Festival Choir, since they stand to make savings from year one, and only minor
problems for the Epworth Choir. Guildford Philharmonic Choir, because of the way
it is funded, has (to my mind) a very real problem.
In the current season, we are scheduled to join with the GPO in two concerts in
the Cathedral, on March 8th and May 3rd. The Choir will want to use the new
staging. According to the proposed schedule of charges, the ASC will charge the
Philharmonic Office of the GBC £1100.00 on each occasion. This is the proposed
"Third Party” rate for a choir of 100-150 strength, and is made up from: The
Cathedral's prior charge of £150, the ASC hire charge of £650, and the Riggers’
charge of £300.
The GPO have not yet been informed of this, and | can imagine
the reaction all too uncomfortably, since Nicola's budget will probably have
allowed for £75.00 per time for the "old" staging. The other figures should stay
about the same, but the jump from £150 to £2200 is going to be quite a shock. Of
course it ought not to be, because | have been telling the world for the last
couple of years that staging costs in the Cathedral will increase substantially,
but | am certain that "people" have only heard what they want to hear. My belief
(as you know) is that the GPO will simply refuse to pay for anything other than
the "old" staging and that the Choir will have to find the balance without any
resources currently in place to do so.
We therefore have an urgent need to bite
this particular bullet, and the Working Party seems the best place to start -
especially since Nicola will not be there!
| have already made the ASC aware of this problem, and while not unsympathetic,
the other members obviously agree that it is our problem to solve, not theirs.
Nevertheless, | think we can plead that these two concerts at least should be
regarded as hires by an ASC Member at the reduced rate of £600 per occasion. It
is then up to us to recover what we can from Nicola. All this is very
double-edged, and | believe it is important that we construct a whole package
“new deal" between the Choir and the Borough.
Finally, | believe that the present draft Business Plan (dated January 7th 1997)
is over-optimistic on the income side, and that there is unlikely to be a
surplus for distribution to the member choirs at the end of the first year if
the full £2000 is allocated to the Sinking Fund then. However, | also believe
that the £300 per occasion for professional riggers is something which could
(and should) be replaced by voluntary labour, however dirty a word that may be
to GPC members.
With best wishes,