Town Hall box office sales

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33773, 20 February 1975, Page 14

Town Hall box office sales

Sir.—Can the buying of I tickets from the Christchurch ; Town Hall box office on the ! ’evening of a concert be im-l

proved? At 7.45 p.m. I joined a long queue at the Town Hall to purchase tickets for the piano competitions. The enthusiasm felt for such interest being shown in the competitions soon vanished as the slow movement of the queue made it obvious that we would miss the first concerto. I reached the box office window at 8.20 p.m. with about 40 people behind me. Two people were in the box office, one collecting money while the other handed out tickets. Could not a second window have been opened with both women dealing with tickets and money? It was obvious well before eight o’clock that unless a miracle happened at least 200 concert-goers would not purchase their tickets in time to enjoy the full programme. — Yours, etc., CROTCHETY.

February 9, 1975. [Mr B. Patrick Connell, manager of the Town Hall, replies: “Advanced sales for the Civic Music Council’s piano concerto finals opened at the Town Hall box office some 11 days before the performance, giving ample time for patrons to purchase seats. The performance was not due to commence until 8 p.m. and, in fact, was delayed in an effort to accommodate an unprecedented last-minute demand for seats until 8.20 p.m. The performance of four concertos in one evening naturally presupposed a concert of considerable duration, thus imposing possible financial penalties for the organisers. The slowness at the box office was caused in part by ‘enthusiastic’ patrons leaving bookings until the last minute. There is for all shows at the Town Hall, similar venues of this type and cinemas in New Zealand, only ever one cashier to deal with door sales. It is to be expected that if 200 or so people all arrive at the one time to purchase the best seats there will be delays.”]