MEMBERS of the Forest of Dean District Council's planning and leisure services committee declared themselves "very pleased" with the Forest Theatre despite big losses on drama productions.
And at a late night sitting on an agenda which had already been postponed for a week because of the petrol crisis, they agreed to continue their current three-year management agreement.
"It is an arts project, and we would be expected to give this our backing," said a spokesman.
A report to the committee noted that the management of the theatre had been transferred to the college in June, 1999, after private sector management declined to continue running it. A three-year contract had been agreed in January this year subject to annual review.
Although some events had been very successful – The Blues Band, for example, drew an audience of 224 with tickets raising £3,037 – in most cases the "take" disappeared in performance fees.
Only a visit by the Counterfeit Stones raised a large profit – several hundreds of pounds, in fact, from an audience of 314, although overheads are not included in the picture.
However the Foursight Theatre Co achieved an attendance of just 23 for their production, raising only £155 which was offset by £1,057 performance fees. Other plays fared slightly better but made net losses.
In the season 1999/2000 the council made a contribution of £20,000 to the theatre, which included an element of once-only payments, and a payment of £14,750 has been agreed for 2000/2001, part of it paying for a dedicated manager.
Committee members noted that the report had concluded that more effort was needed on seat sales and choice of dramas.
"Overall they declared themselves pleased with progress," said the spokesman. "After all, private management had declined to take an interest and without us encouraging things as they are we would have a venue where nothing was happening."