An eight-year history of unstable public funding has finally pushed the venue beyond its limits.
Nick Chipchase
Plans to develop The Brewhouse in Taunton to become the centrepiece of a new cultural quarter in the town have run into the ground as Administrators have been called in to close the 35-year-old arts venue in Somerset’s county town. A feasibility study commissioned by Taunton Deane Borough Council had recommended that the theatre’s future would best be secured by enhancing its facilities to include a new, bigger auditorium suitable for large-scale theatre, concerts and gigs, a larger gallery space, an arthouse cinema and improved bar and catering provision.
But the severe funding challenges described by Artistic Director & Chief Executive Rob Miles last month in his blog have reached a point of no return and the venue has closed with the loss of all 20 full-time and 35 part-time jobs. Miles has issued a statement in which he apologises to the ticketholders, artists, suppliers and other companies that rely on the venue, and to the community groups who will be affected by the closure: "I hope our stakeholders will be able to help you even if they couldn’t help us."
The Brewhouse had survived almost a decade of financial pressures triggered primarily by unstable public funding. In 2005, Arts Council England (ACE) announced that it would cut regular funding to The Brewhouse from 2006, and by 2009 the venue was reporting a £250k “funding black hole”. This was plugged temporarily with an £85k ACE Grants for the Arts award, followed by a £490k boost from ACE’s ‘Sustain’ fund, to help the venue “maintain the quality of artistic output and resolve cash flow problems caused by loss of box office, trading and sponsorship”, and to replace essential stage and IT equipment. But the Brewhouse, which started life with just one full time member of staff and 450 volunteers, was not included among ACE’s National Portfolio Organisations.
When Somerset County Council became the first local authority to announce that it was ending all direct funding to arts organisations, the only significant grant remaining was from Taunton Deane Borough Council. Despite strong trading income, this has proved inadequate to keep the venue going. Paul Birch, Chairman of the Brewhouse board, described the situation as untenable: "Even with regular high attendances, such as our final performance of Hull Truck Theatre’s Jane Eyre last night, which sold out weeks ago, the economy of scale no longer works in our favour. In short, taking tickets sales and other revenue streams together, The Brewhouse raises about 60% of what it needs to keep going and with inadequate public investment it is impossible to achieve this."
The Brewhouse’s creditors include touring theatre companies awaiting payment, who are now waiting to hear how the closure will be dealt with. Marcus Romer, Artistic Director of Pilot Theatre Company, which is owed £8,700, is fearful that a Company Voluntary Arrangement will allow the venue to keep trading at the expense of the small suppliers whose bills will not be paid.
He told AP: “This is the tip of the iceberg. Many more buildings will find themselves in this position as the funding cuts start to bite, which will leave many artists and NPO companies financially exposed in the way that Pilot Theatre is. Indeed this is the second time that we have found ourselves in this position, both times with venues in the South West.”