$l/2M, and theatre could be regal, if not royal

Press, 7 April 1978, Page 1

$ l /2M, and theatre could be regal, if not royal

Christchurch’s ageing Theatre Royal, still for sale after many abortive attempts to lease or buy the building, may get a new lease of life as a result of two Governmentsponsored reports on the building. For about $300,000, not allowing for too many frills, the building could become a viable theatre once again, say the reports. On top of this is the price for the theatre itself — $200,000 six months ago, when the owner, J. C. Williamson Theatres, Ltd,

had already had it on the market 16 months. The Christchurch Operatic Society asked the Government for aid for a feasibility study on the retention of the building as a theatre. The Government approved a grant of $l5OO from its cultural facilities scheme. The theatre is structurally sound and could be strengthened up to moderate earthquake safety at a cost of about $llO,OOO, according to the resultant reports, done by Christchurch consulting engineers and architects. The architects, Warren

and Mahoney, estimate that about $300,000 will need to be spent altogether on basic improvements. “Very much higher expenditure is easily possible in all areas, but for this order of money the Theatre Royal should be able to be made safer, better to use, more comfortable, fresher, and worth having once more,” they say. They list priority work, with minimum costs, as:— Strengthening the building for moderate earthquake safety, $110,000; initial fire-safety precautions $12,000; improved lighting, $25,000; better toilets, $8000; audit o r i u m ventilations, $10,000; auditorium and stage heating, $70,000; auditorium redecoration, $30,000; sound systems, $20,000; stage sprinklers, $15,000. The engineers — Holmes, Wood, Poole, and

Johnstone, — said the building should be strengthened. “The building is larger and considerably more open than most of its contemporaries,” said their report. “It has been well built, but clearly must lx* strengthened to provide some earthquake resistance.” However, the building seemed adequately strong to support normal vertical loadings from audiences, and from stage and flytower operations. Mr B. J. Sutton chairman of the Operatic Society, said that the society had been asked to contribute a small report '•bout its ideas for the Theatre Royal. This would be discussed at the next committee meeting. Mr Sutton said the Gov-ernment-sponsored reports were probably with a view to a grant to buy the theatre.