Scala in Prestatyn agrees to make £40k savings
A cinema and arts centre in Denbighshire that reopened less than two years ago is pledging to cut £40,000 in costs this financial year. The Scala in Prestatyn was given a £3.5m facelift when it opened its doors again after closing in 2000. The board of the venue stressed there was no threat to the future of the centre. It follows an £86,000 rescue package agreed for the Scala in May by Denbighshire council. The board of the Scala Cinema and Arts Centre, Rhiannon Hughes, said savings would be made in areas such as energy costs and bringing other services “in-house”.
‘Difficult period’
She said the number of people using the venue was increasing, up 13% on the same period last year.
“We’ve only been open 18 months so we’ve learnt what sort of films the public want – we know what people are wanting from the venue,” said Mrs Hughes, who is also a member of Denbighshire council, and its former leader.
She said that the venue had been through a “very, very difficult period”. The Scala board said that a decision to delay a neighbouring retail development by 18 months had a knock-on effect on the centre, and that initial costs of setting up the venue had “not been factored in” to the original business plan. Mrs Hughes said the centre now hoped to increase turnover, alongside more live performances and more use of the venue’s conference facilities.
Source: BBC News Website
