Public Money Killing Private Enterprise

[Sheffield Music 0]

This is not the normal public sector bashing post that you'd read in The Daily Mail, but there  is a problem in Sheffield at the moment that needs to be addressed.

 

COVID has been difficult for all of us, but some have had it a little easier than others. 

 

Sheffield Theatres for example have been quick to point out how generous their customers have been by donating their refunds back to the theatre to help them keep going. They then announced a £700K Arts Council grant, just six days before announcing that they were closing down until Easter and making hundreds redundant. Wait, what? What happened to the almost three quarters of a million quid that you just banked? We know that it is hard to make things work at the moment, but that is what most of us are trying to do. We don't have the luxury of massive grants, we need to graft and adapt. Sheffield Theatres are supposed to be creative types, yet their first plan of action is to roll up into a ball. Well what about the cafes, hotels, restaurants, taxis, bus drivers,  pubs etc that rely on the trade that the theatres bring in? What happens to them whilst the public sector protects Theatre Chief Execs? What about the fact that  as we attempt to reassure our kids that things are getting towards normal, the cosseted and protected folk of Tudor Square shut down Panto and ask us to let them keep our money?

 

To City Hall, Pond's Forge and the Arena. They used to be run by an outfit called SIV who trousered £2m of public money just recently, then changed their name to SCT in the hope that we would forget.  So, with all that dough in the bank everything should be rosy no? No. 

 

Much like the theatres they've made all the plebs redundant and asked us to give them a knock at Easter to see if they can be bothered reopening. Now, unlike the Theatres, SCT are not a producing house, they take in shows that others produce. Therefore all the people who would usually put shows into their venues who have worked hard to put plans together to produce shows at 30% capacity are hamstrung as SCT won't even unlock the buildings. Once again, no shows means no taxis needed, no hotels, no meals out, no quick pint in the pub after, no spending. They are strangling us with their greed.

 

Government guidance since August 15th is that venues can open within certain guidelines. The Theatres and SCT just can't be bothered, and have used the opportunity to divest themselves of staff who, in SCT's case, they felt they were paying too much for under TUPE rules.

 

Pond's Forge. Shut. Until further notice. This is a building that has produced 21 Olympians in recent years, yet SCT, with its highly paid management team can't work out how to open it.  Well they should. These are not their buildings, they are ours, we paid for them and they run them on our behalf.

 

It's almost as if the council are letting them get away with it, but why would that be, Well to answer that question we could go a little further up the tree and ask one of the Directors of 7Hills Leisure Trust, the charity that administers SCT. That director is Neale Gibson, who has four different names registered with Companies House so it's not always easy to see which pies he has fingers in. However, the fact that he is a Sheffield City Councillor is a bobby dazzler.

 

We just want to see Sheffield working again. Safely, distanced, but working.

[Thirsty Relic 209]

Wow! Will be watching this thread with interest!

[tinfoilhat 11]

6 hours ago, Sheffield Music said:

This is not the normal public sector bashing post that you'd read in The Daily Mail, but there  is a problem in Sheffield at the moment that needs to be addressed.

 

COVID has been difficult for all of us, but some have had it a little easier than others. 

 

Sheffield Theatres for example have been quick to point out how generous their customers have been by donating their refunds back to the theatre to help them keep going. They then announced a £700K Arts Council grant, just six days before announcing that they were closing down until Easter and making hundreds redundant. Wait, what? What happened to the almost three quarters of a million quid that you just banked? We know that it is hard to make things work at the moment, but that is what most of us are trying to do. We don't have the luxury of massive grants, we need to graft and adapt. Sheffield Theatres are supposed to be creative types, yet their first plan of action is to roll up into a ball. Well what about the cafes, hotels, restaurants, taxis, bus drivers,  pubs etc that rely on the trade that the theatres bring in? What happens to them whilst the public sector protects Theatre Chief Execs? What about the fact that  as we attempt to reassure our kids that things are getting towards normal, the cosseted and protected folk of Tudor Square shut down Panto and ask us to let them keep our money?

 

To City Hall, Pond's Forge and the Arena. They used to be run by an outfit called SIV who trousered £2m of public money just recently, then changed their name to SCT in the hope that we would forget.  So, with all that dough in the bank everything should be rosy no? No. 

 

Much like the theatres they've made all the plebs redundant and asked us to give them a knock at Easter to see if they can be bothered reopening. Now, unlike the Theatres, SCT are not a producing house, they take in shows that others produce. Therefore all the people who would usually put shows into their venues who have worked hard to put plans together to produce shows at 30% capacity are hamstrung as SCT won't even unlock the buildings. Once again, no shows means no taxis needed, no hotels, no meals out, no quick pint in the pub after, no spending. They are strangling us with their greed.

 

Government guidance since August 15th is that venues can open within certain guidelines. The Theatres and SCT just can't be bothered, and have used the opportunity to divest themselves of staff who, in SCT's case, they felt they were paying too much for under TUPE rules.

 

Pond's Forge. Shut. Until further notice. This is a building that has produced 21 Olympians in recent years, yet SCT, with its highly paid management team can't work out how to open it.  Well they should. These are not their buildings, they are ours, we paid for them and they run them on our behalf.

 

It's almost as if the council are letting them get away with it, but why would that be, Well to answer that question we could go a little further up the tree and ask one of the Directors of 7Hills Leisure Trust, the charity that administers SCT. That director is Neale Gibson, who has four different names registered with Companies House so it's not always easy to see which pies he has fingers in. However, the fact that he is a Sheffield City Councillor is a bobby dazzler.

 

We just want to see Sheffield working again. Safely, distanced, but working.

Cracking post. I’ve a horrible feeling that a lot of venues won’t reopen at Easter. Hope I’m wrong.

 

Ive read a trade magazine with an admittedly very small poll and it’s a similar picture nationally, no theatre of any size will open up this side of spring as with social distancing, it’s not profitable. That said, the French, with covid cases going through the roof, are contemplating opening theatres with no social distancing!

[Baron99 779]

21 hours ago, Sheffield Music said:

This is not the normal public sector bashing post that you'd read in The Daily Mail, but there  is a problem in Sheffield at the moment that needs to be addressed.

 

COVID has been difficult for all of us, but some have had it a little easier than others. 

 

Sheffield Theatres for example have been quick to point out how generous their customers have been by donating their refunds back to the theatre to help them keep going. They then announced a £700K Arts Council grant, just six days before announcing that they were closing down until Easter and making hundreds redundant. Wait, what? What happened to the almost three quarters of a million quid that you just banked? We know that it is hard to make things work at the moment, but that is what most of us are trying to do. We don't have the luxury of massive grants, we need to graft and adapt. Sheffield Theatres are supposed to be creative types, yet their first plan of action is to roll up into a ball. Well what about the cafes, hotels, restaurants, taxis, bus drivers,  pubs etc that rely on the trade that the theatres bring in? What happens to them whilst the public sector protects Theatre Chief Execs? What about the fact that  as we attempt to reassure our kids that things are getting towards normal, the cosseted and protected folk of Tudor Square shut down Panto and ask us to let them keep our money?

 

To City Hall, Pond's Forge and the Arena. They used to be run by an outfit called SIV who trousered £2m of public money just recently, then changed their name to SCT in the hope that we would forget.  So, with all that dough in the bank everything should be rosy no? No. 

 

Much like the theatres they've made all the plebs redundant and asked us to give them a knock at Easter to see if they can be bothered reopening. Now, unlike the Theatres, SCT are not a producing house, they take in shows that others produce. Therefore all the people who would usually put shows into their venues who have worked hard to put plans together to produce shows at 30% capacity are hamstrung as SCT won't even unlock the buildings. Once again, no shows means no taxis needed, no hotels, no meals out, no quick pint in the pub after, no spending. They are strangling us with their greed.

 

Government guidance since August 15th is that venues can open within certain guidelines. The Theatres and SCT just can't be bothered, and have used the opportunity to divest themselves of staff who, in SCT's case, they felt they were paying too much for under TUPE rules.

 

Pond's Forge. Shut. Until further notice. This is a building that has produced 21 Olympians in recent years, yet SCT, with its highly paid management team can't work out how to open it.  Well they should. These are not their buildings, they are ours, we paid for them and they run them on our behalf.

 

It's almost as if the council are letting them get away with it, but why would that be, Well to answer that question we could go a little further up the tree and ask one of the Directors of 7Hills Leisure Trust, the charity that administers SCT. That director is Neale Gibson, who has four different names registered with Companies House so it's not always easy to see which pies he has fingers in. However, the fact that he is a Sheffield City Councillor is a bobby dazzler.

 

We just want to see Sheffield working again. Safely, distanced, but working.

My bold. 

 

Well here are Coun. Gibson's SCC details from the SCC's website on his 'Register of Intrest.' 

 

http://democracy.sheffield.gov.uk/mgDeclarationSubmission.aspx?UID=414&HID=254&FID=0&HPID=2466149

Edited August 31, 2020 by Baron99

[MarcyC 0]

20 hours ago, Thirsty Relic said:

Wow! Will be watching this thread with interest!

As will I .

My personal view has always been that people who want to will pay for the art they want to see.  

I do not see why anyone should have to should subsidise that in any way. 

People who really want their art to be seen will price access to it according to demand and market forces as happens with all other commodoties.

 

Sheffield's sports facilites are often withdrawn from member's usage for events and not all of those are sporting events.

Despite great arguably unjustified expense at the time they were paid for quite a few sports facilities have simply disappeared 

 

So as the joint  employers of Sheffield CityCouncil it would be nice for us to know where all the money is going,   or should I say to who?

 

[Resident 1,185]

On 30/08/2020 at 10:27, Sheffield Music said:

This is not the normal public sector bashing post that you'd read in The Daily Mail, but there  is a problem in Sheffield at the moment that needs to be addressed.

 

COVID has been difficult for all of us, but some have had it a little easier than others. 

 

Sheffield Theatres for example have been quick to point out how generous their customers have been by donating their refunds back to the theatre to help them keep going. They then announced a £700K Arts Council grant, just six days before announcing that they were closing down until Easter and making hundreds redundant. Wait, what? What happened to the almost three quarters of a million quid that you just banked? We know that it is hard to make things work at the moment, but that is what most of us are trying to do. We don't have the luxury of massive grants, we need to graft and adapt. Sheffield Theatres are supposed to be creative types, yet their first plan of action is to roll up into a ball. Well what about the cafes, hotels, restaurants, taxis, bus drivers,  pubs etc that rely on the trade that the theatres bring in? What happens to them whilst the public sector protects Theatre Chief Execs? What about the fact that  as we attempt to reassure our kids that things are getting towards normal, the cosseted and protected folk of Tudor Square shut down Panto and ask us to let them keep our money?

 

To City Hall, Pond's Forge and the Arena. They used to be run by an outfit called SIV who trousered £2m of public money just recently, then changed their name to SCT in the hope that we would forget.  So, with all that dough in the bank everything should be rosy no? No. 

 

Much like the theatres they've made all the plebs redundant and asked us to give them a knock at Easter to see if they can be bothered reopening. Now, unlike the Theatres, SCT are not a producing house, they take in shows that others produce. Therefore all the people who would usually put shows into their venues who have worked hard to put plans together to produce shows at 30% capacity are hamstrung as SCT won't even unlock the buildings. Once again, no shows means no taxis needed, no hotels, no meals out, no quick pint in the pub after, no spending. They are strangling us with their greed.

 

Government guidance since August 15th is that venues can open within certain guidelines. The Theatres and SCT just can't be bothered, and have used the opportunity to divest themselves of staff who, in SCT's case, they felt they were paying too much for under TUPE rules.

 

Pond's Forge. Shut. Until further notice. This is a building that has produced 21 Olympians in recent years, yet SCT, with its highly paid management team can't work out how to open it.  Well they should. These are not their buildings, they are ours, we paid for them and they run them on our behalf.

 

It's almost as if the council are letting them get away with it, but why would that be, Well to answer that question we could go a little further up the tree and ask one of the Directors of 7Hills Leisure Trust, the charity that administers SCT. That director is Neale Gibson, who has four different names registered with Companies House so it's not always easy to see which pies he has fingers in. However, the fact that he is a Sheffield City Councillor is a bobby dazzler.

 

We just want to see Sheffield working again. Safely, distanced, but working.

Says it all tbh. 

[bassett one 449]

it seems to me theres a lot of cash needs accounting for ,on this subject

[Lurgh Mor 10]

So 157 employees. 29% affected. Original post states “making hundreds redundant”. 
Cliche time, “ You do the maths”! 

[Sheffield Music 0]

Hi Lurgh

 

Dunno where you got that figure from? It's wrong. At least you tried.

 

Private business is reopening, yet Theatres and SIV are shut for long enough to make the redundancies stick. If they reopen within three months, they'd have to re employ.

 

It's ridiculous, and supported by a so called socialist council. 

 

It's closing our city down. Why can no one see that? Why is The Leadmill reopening but City Hall not? How can O2 put gigs on, but City Hall can't? Subsidy, that's how. This is a massive story, but unfortunately there are no outlets for local journalism now. 

 

SCC have just agreed a massive , behind closed doors deal to keep John Lewis in the city centre. They wouldn't let the press see the details of that, and it's immaterial because the city centre will be a wasteland by this time next year unless they make City Hall re open.

 

[tinfoilhat 11]

Don't be surprised if those gigs at the leadmill cancel. 

[Anna B 1,401]

6 hours ago, MarcyC said:

As will I .

My personal view has always been that people who want to will pay for the art they want to see.  

I do not see why anyone should have to should subsidise that in any way. 

People who really want their art to be seen will price access to it according to demand and market forces as happens with all other commodoties.

 

Sheffield's sports facilites are often withdrawn from member's usage for events and not all of those are sporting events.

Despite great arguably unjustified expense at the time they were paid for quite a few sports facilities have simply disappeared 

 

So as the joint  employers of Sheffield CityCouncil it would be nice for us to know where all the money is going,   or should I say to who?

 

Mmm, interesting. 

At one time the arts were available to all in an effort to inform and educate the working classes. Even  Shakespeare had room for the groundlings in the pit.

 

Now there is no doubt that some Art is very elitist and outside the pocket of ordinary people. I doubt, for example, I will ever be able to afford a ticket to the Opera at Covent Garden.    

[Annie Bynnol 612]

On 30/08/2020 at 10:27, Sheffield Music said:

(Sheffield Theatres)...announced a £700K Arts Council grant, just six days before announcing that they were closing down until Easter and making hundreds redundant.

 

49 minutes ago, Sheffield Music said:

Dunno where you got that figure from? It's wrong. At least you tried.

Just saying "It's wrong " does not strengthen your point at all.

You should at least find the quote that is behind your opinion that "Sheffield Theatres" have announced"... that they were closing down until Easter and making hundreds redundant."