District councillors call for business plan for South Holland Centre in Spalding

The improving picture of the South Holland Centre was overshadowed by calls for a plan to show the theatre’s five-year future.

Members of two South Holland District Council scrutiny panels were brought together to discuss how the Spalding theatre – once dubbed a ‘money pit’ – is progressing but frustrations were expressed over the lack of a business plan along with the results of the last financial year.

But councillors were told that the a five-year financial plan could not be provided due to variables such as whether a management company would be brought to run the site.

Members were told that there is an ‘improving picture’ with more work to do for the South Holland Centre. But officers were unwilling to tell members if the centre had made a profit or deficit as the accounts were going through the ‘due diligence’ of going through the accountants.

An extensive report from a task group in 2022 had put forward a 27-point plan to revive the fortunes of the facility. One point stressed that a business plan was needed by last October.

Coun Bryan Alcock, who was elected to chair Thursday’s meeting, said it was encouraging to see the improving direction of travel for the South Holland Centre. But throughout the meeting he expressed frustration about not being presented with a business plan and the results of the last financial year.

Coun Alcock who is the chairman of the performance monitoring panel, said: “I think a lot of work is going on in the South Holland Centre. I do wish we as an authority knew where it is going financially.

“Members are expecting you are going to be able to produce something that is effectively a business plan and satisfy needs of the members to know on an going basis where we are going with it.”

Coun Andrew Woolf, who is the chairman of the policy development panel, said the centre’s website had been improved but called for the cafe and catering options to be better advertised.

He said: “The whole reason we wanted to look at it as a task group was that it was losing money. While everything is going up in terms of revenue what is the bottom line of it? Is it losing less money now? I would hope that might be the case.”

The two councillors were told that the South Holland Centre is included within the authority’s medium term business plan - but they requested these figures were extracted and circulated to members.

Portfolio holder Coun Tracey Carter told the meeting that the centre’s finances are monitored closely and harshly.

She said: “We can’t give you the final bottom line - we don’t know what it is. We know what we think it is.

“What I want everyone to take away from tonight is that everything is monitored. We don’t want to have to keep putting money into it. We love the centre and we want you guys to love the centre.

“It is a huge asset for our residents and we need to continue it.

“What I can’t promise you is a financial plan about the next five years. There are a couple of variables we don’t know.”

Fleet councillor Paul Barnes said it was encouraging news that things were improving at the centre but also suggested working with local restaurants to run offers for patrons - but voiced frustrations about the lack of a business plan.

Leader of South Holland Independents Coun Rob Gibson said the centre was referred to as a ‘money pit’ at a meeting four years ago and raised concerns about the idea of bringing in a management company to run it.

He said: “The picture was bleak and gloomy but I don’t feel the South Holland Centre is in that position now. I feel that in the last couple of years it is doing better. I feel a lot of effort is going into that and people working there are doing a fantastic job.

“The South Holland Centre is considered as an option to tender to go with a leisure management company. That worries me as that takes it away us.”

Coun Chris Brewis praised the success of King’s Lynn Corn Exchange’s programme - which is also produced in a hard copy of the forthcoming shows. He was told that the South Holland Centre now has a booklet which can be picked up from the site.

Coun Angela Harrison suggested changing the name to boost audiences so people know what it is.

Coun Alcock said: “One thing I hope we can develop is the catering facilities as we are right in the middle of town, ideally placed for people to meet, chat and socialise.”

Coun Carter said efforts had been made to encourage use of the South Holland Centre during big events such as the Spring into Spalding event.

The centre saw an average of 68% of capacity sold for its live performances throughout the 2023/24 programme. This marked almost a 10% rise on the previous financial year, while panto season was also up 3% on 2022/23.