Town Hall rentals drop

Press, 3 November 1984, Page 9

Town Hall rentals drop

Reduced rentals at the Christchurch Town Hall should encourage promoters to bring more performers to the South Island, said the manager of the Town Hall, Mr Ray Sleeman.

Conditions for the hire of the Town Hall’s auditorium and James Hay Theatre have recently . been reviewed. A main change was the extension of the hours permitted within a booking said Mr Sleeman.

Organisers and promoters, not eligible for the reduced local-user rates, would now find their bookings covered a 24-hour period, from 8 a.m. one day until 8 a.m. the next. Previously they had to pay increased rental charges for using more than the eight or 12 hours permitted at the two venues, he said. The extension should mean considerable savings to promoters, particularly

those bringing international artists to Christchurch, as they generally needed more time to set up their sophisticated lighting and sound equipment. The conditions would also apply to local groups hiring the theatre for a season of events, Mr Sleeman said.

The new rental structure, would, it was hoped, ensure that the South Island was included in all future tours by overseas artists,” he said.