Under new management

The Hazlitt Arts Centre (HAC) is a small venue in the centre of Maidstone, the county town of Kent. It comprises a traditional proscenium arch theatre with a capacity of 353, two studio spaces, one large (148) and one small (50), and a small art gallery. The building occupies the first floor while the ground level is retail; Maidstone City Council sold a lease for the whole building in the 1980s and leases back the HAC on a peppercorn rent. There is a covenant in the lease that ensures that the first floor cannot have a change of use.

The council underwent a prioritisation exercise in 2011 and identified culture as important in terms of making Maidstone a great place to live but a low priority in terms of budget allocation. It was keen to establish more partnership-working to maintain a vibrant cultural offer. As a result, it appointed a consultant to review the current activities of the HAC and consider possible changes in governance. At the same time, the in-house team (including me) was preparing a business proposal to form a staff mutual to take on the management of the venue. The review recommended that the HAC could operate more effectively if it was independent from the council and the decision was taken to enter into a procurement process to appoint a management company. The final process was initiated in autumn last year, the main driver being to reduce cost to the council while maintaining many aspects of the HAC’s existing activity. Specifically this was in terms of safe but diverse programming, community opportunities and accessible space for local groups to hire.

The review recommended that the HAC could operate more effectively if it was independent from the council

The council received two bids, the in-house staff mutual bid and a bid from Parkwood Leisure. After a protracted decision-making process the council awarded the contract to Parkwood Leisure. It is reported that this will save the council £3.2m over the course of the 15-year contract. Parkwood Leisure was formed in 1995 and is a leisure management company that operates 84 facilities on behalf of 25 local authority clients. It currently manages the Hawth Theatre in Crawley and the Playhouse Theatre in Weston-super-Mare, but is keen to expand its theatre and culture portfolio and has recently appointed a new managing director of theatre and culture.

The transfer has yet to take place, but Parkwood’s plans include:

• Introducing Sway Dance to bring in new audiences and increase usage through dance working in partnership with existing dance companies.
• Increasing events and functions at the venue through the introduction of its events brands and a new venue brochure each year.
• Developing the catering offer, daytime studio classes targeting mums, the retired and the over 50s.
• Introduction of the Spotlight card to offer discounts on a number of theatre activities, which should encourage attendance and participation from the younger generation, increase awareness of arts and culture to the wider population and increase audience attendance.

From my perspective as a manager, while clearly I am disappointed that we were not successful in the tender process, I believe that there are other ways of working to ensure that local authority venues and their cultural offer can be protected in the straitened financial times in which we live. I am looking forward to working with the new operator enabling the Hazlitt to go from strength to strength throughout the life of the contract.

Mandy Hare is Theatre Manager at Hazlitt Arts Centre.
www.hazlittartscentre.co.uk