Rose faces nervous wait for money (From Your Local Guardian)

It’s amazing that the theatre has left it until it is about to close before asking for yet more money. Perhaps they were too embarrassed after the millions of pounds of council tax payer’s cash they have already squandered?

Even when the council do give the council more money, it will only be a matter of time before they come crawling back for more. Local residents keep being told that the theatre is successful and is a money maker, yet it is on its knees with no suggestion of them changing their ways. I support the idea of calling for the theatre board falling on their swords, but I won’t hold my breath.

The Rose Theatre is widely acknowledged by those who have used it to be an enormous asset to Kingston's cultural life and its businesses.
Ticket sales have been tremendous in a town without an existing theatre habit.
A theatre is a perfect antidote to the nightclub culture which is so strong in Kingston and the Rose has been truly inclusive in so many ways.
Just because this theatre has been ssupported by a Lib Dem council, the Conservatives blindly condemn it, without any interest in the benefits it brings.
The Council has not squandered (or even spent) millions on the theatre: your correspondent believes too much of what he reads in local newspapers.
DO not allow this treasure to be lost due to apathy on the one hand and politicising on the other.

The Council's statement of accounts shows that in 2007/08 more than £152 million was spent on education and children's services which are obviously very important and necessary services. £600k is less than half of one percent of that expenditure and would secure seats and education for children at the theatre. Frankly the theatre and the shows it puts on is necessary if Kingston is not to become a boorish, uneducated, miserable place to live. I can't see what difference sacking the theatre board would make - apart from fulfilling a bunch of impotents' **** for vengeance.

I didn't type a rude word there by the way. You can insert the word 'desire' to make sense of it.

The Rose Theatre is making a huge improvement to life in Kingston for me. Not only have I have seen well produced and exciting drama, I have become involved in the volunteer programme which has made me many new friends and whilst ushering allows me to feel a real part of the Rose team. The varied programme of events held in the Culture Cafe, which has marvellous access for young and old alike has been a revelation and I thoroughly enjoy popping in for a coffee and a read of the newspapers and latest magazines. The Rose is far more than just a theatre, it is a space for the community to come together - to be entertained, to learn, to share ideas and to just pass the time. I personally would be let down by the council if funding is not found to keep The Rose open.

SteveC1964 wrote:
I didn't type a rude word there by the way. You can insert the word 'desire' to make sense of it.

Shouldn't 'desire' have 5 stars?

kworsley wrote:

"I personally would be let down by the council if funding is not found to keep The Rose open."


Personally, I would feel let down if we have to go through the annual attempts at budget cuts to libraries and care homes, etc. because the Rose Theatre got an extra £600K a year. They should only consider this extra money IF our council tax doesn't go up yet again and that there are no budget cuts because of it. Though, knowing what the Lib Dems are like (profligate with our money!)they will make cuts to the services that most of us want and need just so that their precious Rose Theatre is saved.

I am a regular theatre goer (The Orange Tree mostly) and I welcome a theatre in Kingston, but I do not see why other people should subsidize my interest. The Rose is a vanity project by the Lib Dems (as Richmond Theatre is) and should be allowed to succeed or fail on its own merits and without the support of the Council Tax payers.

reesmf wrote:

"I am a regular theatre goer (The Orange Tree mostly) and I welcome a theatre in Kingston but I do not see why other people should subsidize my interest."

You neglect the fact that the Orange Tree is subsidised by Richmond council, the London Councils AND the Arts Council and would not exist if it were "allowed to succeed or fail on its own merits without the support of the Council Tax payers".

So it was going bankrupt without the Council Tax Money? Surprising with its continuously sold out shows and the lines of local residents queueing around the block everynight when I pass on my way through Kingston.

The most surprising thing I have found during what seems to be a political minefield is that the Lib Dem policies under Invincible Vince, moved from the left veiw of money for better services to the Tory side of Value for money and more money in peoples pockets.

When do we expect the 4% council tax rise this year? The only problem will be for the Lib Dems is that they can't blame the Mayor of London as he is freezing his part, they can't blame the theatre as on the decision day if they pass it will become their white elephant, who are they going to blame for the increase this time? They could never admit to bad management or bad decisions maybe they could just say "we needed a legacy for when we retire from Council and no one ever seemed to complain about us increasing taxes on the needy during a recession".

If Kingston Council received the same level of subsidy from central Government as Wandsworth does, we could have much lower Council Tax and afford to subsidise the Rose even more.

I love the Rose, I have visited it on a number of occasions, both for shows and events and found it full of life, all ages enjoying themselves, especially the children.

I think it an enormous shame if it is used as a political football.

I am old enough to remember the old Empire Theatre in Kingston - you can still see the sign for it on the side of the building opposite Oceana! Like thousands of other Kingston children, I went to the Empire for fun and entertainment and this has stayed with my all my life. Why deny the current generation this life enhancing chance?

lisb wrote:
I love the Rose, I have visited it on a number of occasions, both for shows and events and found it full of life, all ages enjoying themselves, especially the children. I think it an enormous shame if it is used as a political football. I am old enough to remember the old Empire Theatre in Kingston - you can still see the sign for it on the side of the building opposite Oceana! Like thousands of other Kingston children, I went to the Empire for fun and entertainment and this has stayed with my all my life. Why deny the current generation this life enhancing chance?

Dear lisb,

As you are old, you may one day soon (hopefully not, of course) need help from the social services or to perhaps get taken out to a day care centre so that you can meet people, rather than sitting at home alone as many of the local elderly have to at the moment.

But you will not have much luck in Kingston, as the services have been cut and the day care centres closed. I hope I die before I get old. At least, during my younger years I'll have had the option of watching some subsidised theatre without having the stress of sitting on a train for 20 minutes.

SteveC1964 wrote:
If Kingston Council received the same level of subsidy from central Government as Wandsworth does, we could have much lower Council Tax and afford to subsidise the Rose even more.

But we don't do we SteveC1964. So instead we chuck our elderly out onto the streets and pay money to a theatre that has already proved it can't run without making a profit, despite promising that they could in the local press.

By the way, inner-London Wandsworth has many more social problems to deal with than outer-London Kingston, so would obviously not receive the same level of subsidy.

Tony from Surbiton wrote:

SteveC1964 wrote: If Kingston Council received the same level of subsidy from central Government as Wandsworth does, we could have much lower Council Tax and afford to subsidise the Rose even more.

But we don't do we SteveC1964. So instead we chuck our elderly out onto the streets and pay money to a theatre that has already proved it can't run without making a profit, despite promising that they could in the local press. By the way, inner-London Wandsworth has many more social problems to deal with than outer-London Kingston, so would obviously not receive the same level of subsidy.

No, Kingston isn't subsidised anything like as much as Wandsworth and because of that subsidy Wandsworth can charge £1,363 for a band H property (£3,159 in Kingston). This is nothing to do with Kingston wasting lots of money, (it doesn't) but everything to do with the fact that this Government subsidises the council tax of very wealthy people in Wandsworth. What "social problems" do the millionaires of Wandsworth have that they need a Council Tax hand-out? Elderly residents in Kingston are not "chucked out onto the streets" -that a preposterous thing to write.

SteveC1964 wrote:

Tony from Surbiton wrote:

SteveC1964 wrote: If Kingston Council received the same level of subsidy from central Government as Wandsworth does, we could have much lower Council Tax and afford to subsidise the Rose even more.

But we don't do we SteveC1964. So instead we chuck our elderly out onto the streets and pay money to a theatre that has already proved it can't run without making a profit, despite promising that they could in the local press. By the way, inner-London Wandsworth has many more social problems to deal with than outer-London Kingston, so would obviously not receive the same level of subsidy.

No, Kingston isn't subsidised anything like as much as Wandsworth and because of that subsidy Wandsworth can charge £1,363 for a band H property (£3,159 in Kingston). This is nothing to do with Kingston wasting lots of money, (it doesn't) but everything to do with the fact that this Government subsidises the council tax of very wealthy people in Wandsworth. What "social problems" do the millionaires of Wandsworth have that they need a Council Tax hand-out? Elderly residents in Kingston are not "chucked out onto the streets" -that a preposterous thing to write.

SteveC1964 you didn't read or understand my previous post. I agree that Kingston doesn't receive as much as Wandsworth (although we can disagree about the money wasted by Kingston). So why waste more money on a theatre when apparently we can't afford to look after our local elderly residents?

Many of the elderly went to local day care centres, but they were closed. Some of the elderly needed help from social services at home, but the charges were more than doubled.

So it is obvious that the theatre is being prioritised over the welfare of the local elderly people.

Shame on this council and shame on you for sticking up for them.