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Mackintosh Vows to Lower Costs, Clean Up StreetsDate: 25 June 2003
As part of his £35 million refurbishment of the West End (See Also Today's Other News), Cameron Mackintosh has vowed to increase toilet and bar facilities for theatregoers and to keep booking fees and other supplementary costs contained. Mackintosh's work inside the buildings will coincide with a major clean-up campaign, driven by Westminster City Council, on the streets outside.
At today's press conference at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Mackintosh said that - with the renovations across his seven existing venues (the Albery, Gielgud, Prince Edward, Prince of Wales, Queen's, Strand and Wyndhams) as well as the planned Sondheim Theatre - overall loo capacity would double while bar areas would increase from 50% to 100% in each. Ways of expanding legroom are being considered as well.
In addition, the building projects will encompass improvements to the company offices of Delfont Mackintosh Theatres as well as its ticketing systems. These will enable increased transactions and higher levels of service. Although Mackintosh was clear in pointing out that actual ticket prices are set by individual producers and are unlikely to change because of the high costs of mounting shows, he vowed to reduce booking fees at his venues and to launch new, more affordable show programmes.
"A lot of tosh is talked about prices in the West End. The truth is, for just about any show, at least 30% of tickets are available for less than £25," Mackintosh said today. "We're as price-conscious as any industry." His measures will be aimed at offering better theatre management for producers and tackling the rising incidental costs for theatregoers, such as ticket charges, programmes and refreshments. According to Mackintosh, "Too many people worry about the added extras involved in going to the theatre. It's up to us to ensure that prices go up as slowly as possible."
Meanwhile, Westminster City Council, working with the Society of London Theatre (SOLT), has committed to improving the environment outside the theatres with an ambitious programme of renewal and regeneration. Speaking today, Westminster councillor Simon Milton said, on this "very important day for London theatre", their mission was to make the West End "welcoming, clean and safe".
From September 2003, Milton said, the annual contract budget for cleaning the streets of central London will increase by £13 million to £32 million. Upgrades to streetlighting and the installation of the country's most sophisticated CCTV cameras are also ongoing, combined with a crackdown on crime that includes fingerprinting beggars and tough new banning orders for anti-social behaviour.
Milton used the regeneration of Leicester Square as an example of the Council's commitment (See The Goss, 24 Mar 2003). He said crime in the Square had been reduced by more than 50% in the past year. Other new and imminent changes include longer opening hours for the Square's central gardens, the extension of al fresco dining until 1.00am and the launch of a schedule of 100 planned events. Proposals have also been tabled for reintroducing a live performance venue to the north side of the Square. After the Leicester Square regeneration, the Council will turn its attention to China Town and then Covent Garden.
- by Terri Paddock
SEE ALSO: "Sondheim Forms Centre of New £7m Avenue Complex" (News, 25 Jun 2003)
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