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May 2020

Harrogate

Harrogate Theatre raises £40,000 in emergency appeal

Published: 22 May 2020, 16:00 BST

Updated: 28 Jul 2020, 14:39 BST

by Ami Miller Lifestyle Reporter

Harrogate Theatre has now raised £40,000 in its emergency appeal to save the theatre. People across the district have pulled together in support of the towns historic venue.

Credit: Mike Whorley Photography

Harrogate Theatre has announced that it has raised £40,000 in its emergency appeal.

The theatre, which has always been widely supported, has faced a funding crisis as it was forced to lower its curtains in March, due to coronavirus.

Alex Monk, a spokesperson from the Theatre told the Stray Ferret:

We rely on a very small amount of public funding, most of our earnings are from ticket sales, so our income has been stripped away, It's been a worrying time... To raise £40,000 ( and still rising) is just phenomenal... a lot of that has been from audience members that have donated their ticket money from a cancelled show to our emergency fund.

We need £4,000 a week to keep the theatre going...Things are all moving and changing very quickly.. Our current closure notice is up until July at the earliest.

We are exploring models for social distancing in the theatre for when it is safe and possible to open our doors. This does reduce the capacity to around a third which would have severe financial implications.

Members of the community are pulling together to help raise money to try and keep the theatre-going.

Dance Matt, a children's entertainment business in Harrogate is doing a virtual 12-hour dance-a-thon children's mini disco starting at 8 am tomorrow. All money raised will go to the theatre's emergency appeal. Matt Pullan, who runs the company, has raised £410 so far, with a £500 target.

It's a very special place to me, I used to go to the panto every New Years Eve with my gran. I’m sure the theatre has touched us all at some point, so I wanted to do something to raise money to contribute... It will be a long 12 hours, but it will absolutely be worth it.

Alex Monk thanked Matt Pullan for his gesture:

This is just one of many of the kind offers we have received. It shows the real strength and place that Harrogate theatre holds.