Town Hall to promote more

Press, 24 February 1977, Page 14

Town Hall to promote more

i In an attempt to keep; (down increases in hire! i charges, the Town Hall board! 'of management is looking’ 'hard at expanding its role of I ’ promoter. ’ The Town Hall manager’ I (Mr B. P. Connell) has told the board that even if I ( present occupancy rates were ’ I maintained in the main 1 ( venues, a’ general hire increase of between 17 and 23; ’ per cent would have to be ’ (considered in the next two, ! months. If the board co-operated, ’closely with the Christchurch | Arts Festival organisers it I could make use of their ’ entrepreneurial ability, and provide the venues for tourI ing companies, he said. I In addition, collaboration i I with the Adelaide Festival of I Arts — which was bringing > 1 some of the world’s finest i

I entertainment, to Australia, 1 ; and which was willing to extend tours to New Zealand < on a cost-sharing basis — 1 I would increase the range and t ; quality of entertainment for 1 Christchurch, increase occupancy rates, and keep hire!] charges down. ; i The board agreed to begin l < discussions with the Arts’; Festival society, with a view’l to the probable establish- ] ment of a fund from which I s to finance entrepreneurial: < ventures. The Christchurch Conven- (< tion Centre, set up to pro-;] mote the Town Hall as a!| convention centre, had been ’ t launched recently and al- f ready had six executive j members and two associate ; members, Mr R. W. Skellerup ( told the board. It was producing a 20-minute film pro- I moting the complex. t