Mareel - Cinema & Music Venue

[EM]

... the Unst Boat Haven,

A highly impressive and most commendable collection.

 

... the proposed Tingwall Agricultural Museum.

It is a fine enough idea, but I can't help wondering why it is planned for Tingwall. I would have thought a more optimal site would be next to the Quendale Mill, as it is already specialising in the same area.

 

... Shetland's norse history and heritage deserves a purpose built small museum of it's own but what are the chances of that?.

I've nothing against Tingwall, but I suggest that Unst is more appropriate for this, as the Viking Unst project is already well on the way to providing what you seek:

 

Viking Unst[/url]"]At Viking Unst we are bringing the Viking past to life in fun and exciting ways...

Living History activities throughout the summer give a great insight into ancient skills and technology, and provide entertainment for all ages.

Work is underway to restore a full size Viking longship replica The Skidbladner

Reconstruction of an authentic Viking longhouse will begin in Winter 2008.

Our aim is to combine these aspects into a permanent heritage attraction that is fun and informative for residents and visitors alike. We believe Unst will be the 'must see' place for rural Viking archaeology in Britain!

[peeriebryan]

Thats exactly the same as Mareel. It's taken years of jumping through hoops to obtain the funding, lets not forget theis is not a "council" project, it has an array of investors of which the SIC is just one....

 

....I just don't see why, despite all the similarities to so many projects, both n the past, ongoing, and doubtless forthcoming, Mareel has to be treated so differently..

Indeed Spinner72 ^

 

Despite the regular assumptions that Mareel is/was a Shetland Arts project, it began in earnest in 1996 with the first 'steering group' of stakeholders, and there were many years of local consultations, studies and public meetings before it was entered onto the SIC capital programme in 2003. Shetland Arts Trust was replaced by Shetland Arts Development Agency in 2006 and given the remit to lead on the project.

 

Since then, the project has secured around £6,000,000 of external investment to match the local funding.

[Ghostrider]

... the proposed Tingwall Agricultural Museum.

It is a fine enough idea, but I can't help wondering why it is planned for Tingwall. I would have thought a more optimal site would be next to the Quendale Mill, as it is already specialising in the same area.

 

The theory is good, butttt.....

[MuckleJoannie]

There was a private agricultural museum at Veensgarth in Tingwall. It closed. if I recall correctly, when one of the owners died suddenly. As far as I am aware the collection still exists and would form the nucleus of a new museum, hence Tingwall having a head start.

[JohanofNess]

t;].....as Burt Lancaster said "if you build it they will come".

 

I wondered when someone would quote from the film 'Field of Dreams'. It's worth noting that the film was set in Iowa - population 2.9 million not Shetland - population 22,000!

 

Okay quoting the fake Jim Morrison who ripped it off in Wayne's World 2 "If you build it they will come"

 

Iowa also has considerably more than 1 cinema for it's 2.9million population some of the towns with a smaller population than Lerwick have a cinema.

 

I think Shetland needs a cinema, I don't agree with the way its been funded but I would use it nonetheless

[Guest SJP17]

So how many people will the cinema hold ?

 

I really cant wait for this to open , ill definetly be goin to watch films and attending gigs with bands i like

[Kavi Ugl]

Well, did anybody else hear Radio Shetland last night?.

 

They were interviewing Mr Gibbons from Shetland Arts about why Mareel needs £30,000 of an SIC £100,000 grant brought forward asap to "help" with basically the pre-opening "promotion" side of it.

 

Setting aside the waffley excuse why they'd given the PR work to a company in London, when asked what would happen if the request was turned down Mr Gibbons didn't really have an answer and bascially said that, well, all the people involved in it would be very angry(sic).....

[Guest Anonymous]

when the likes of tom morton who lets face it given his line of work and all should be a natural ally of mareel, is publicly voicing his concerns then we should all worry just that little bit more.

Having met gibbons in person I must say that I was in no way impressed with the man and his ability to run the place at a profit, but hey ho it will look good on his cv brought a £12million pound project through planning all the way to opening and running the first year, only to jump ship before the whole damn ediface comes crashing about our ears.

 

and I will say this now if it makes £400grand a year as the overly ambitious business plan says it will not make one brass farthings profit.

what with all the jobs they are promising they will need a hell of alot more than that to show any kind of return.

[Njugle]

when asked what would happen if the request was turned down Mr Gibbons didn't really have an answer and bascially said that, well, all the people involved in it would be very angry(sic).....

 

I heard it too, and I think a fairer translation would be to say if the pre-arranged first year financial support previously agreed by the CT was not approved by the CT trustees now that it was required, there would be outrage amongst the other funders, which makes a bit more sense, despite this request being made quite early.

[WiiMan]

Could this be the root of Shetland Arts aparent cash flow difficulties?

 

This is where other long term benefits for Shetland would come in. IF the film is as successful as Brown believes it can be then the profits made will come back to Shetland Arts as part owners of the film, and in turn be invested into future intellectual property like other films, TV production and music and literature in return for a percentage of their IP.

[WiiMan]

when asked what would happen if the request was turned down Mr Gibbons didn't really have an answer and bascially said that, well, all the people involved in it would be very angry(sic).....

 

I heard it too, and I think a fairer translation would be to say if the pre-arranged first year financial support previously agreed by the CT was not approved by the CT trustees now that it was required, there would be outrage amongst the other funders, which makes a bit more sense, despite this request being made quite early.

 

Surely the operative word there is YEAR. Will Mareel be open this financial year? Don't think anybody should be outraged or angry. Thankful might win more friends.

[Kavi Ugl]

when asked what would happen if the request was turned down Mr Gibbons didn't really have an answer and bascially said that, well, all the people involved in it would be very angry(sic).....

 

I heard it too, and I think a fairer translation would be to say if the pre-arranged first year financial support previously agreed by the CT was not approved by the CT trustees now that it was required, there would be outrage amongst the other funders, which makes a bit more sense, despite this request being made quite early.

 

Yeh, du's got it worded better as me

 

But I did notice that Mr Gibbons wasn't overly happy with the questioning and that there seemed to be a lot of sighing before answering the question on his part.

 

I personally loathe all the money spent on sport in Shetland but I equally feel that the income figures etc for Mareel just don't add up.

[Para Handy]

Well there will be a lot of "I told you so" coming this time next year. When they come cap in hand for even more money from the council. But hay this council is good at throwing more money after bad.

[Guest SJP17]

Thats why they need to broker a deal with this windfarm group and get them to put a percentage of thier profits into Mareel every year and hey presto we will have a cracking venue that will have no need for more funding or bail outs !

[Spinner72]

Well, did anybody else hear Radio Shetland last night?.

 

They were interviewing Mr Gibbons from Shetland Arts about why Mareel needs £30,000 of an SIC £100,000 grant brought forward asap to "help" with basically the pre-opening "promotion" side of it.

 

Setting aside the waffley excuse why they'd given the PR work to a company in London,

 

What was the excuse? I didnt hear it but I am far more concerned about something that could have been done locally being given to an outside firm than the early release of pre-approved funds.