Mareel - Cinema & Music Venue

[Ghostrider]

I can only assume that many of the posts about Mareel being underused are from folk who don't actually go to Mareel.

 

Don't. As surely its rather early days yet to label folk as those "who don't actually go to Mareel", wouldn't "haven't been to Mareel yet" be a fairer description?

 

I haven't been, I'd like to have been, but there's been nothing on yet I'd begin to consider paying money to listen to.

 

I've been to several music events that appear to have been sold out in the auditorium (and others that haven't),....

 

Care to list those which have appeared to have been sold out? As I said, the jungle drums I've heard have just picked up on the one.

 

.....and there's regular music events on in the cafe bar each week (jazz on Sundays, trad sessions, DJs on Fridays, monthly singer songwriter nights, informal concerts etc). That's without mentioning the cinema which has been well attended every time I've been in and the cafe which seems to be busy most times I'm in to (usually the afternoon).

 

I did start my post by stating "Mareel's venue", meaning the main auditorium, sorry if I didn't make it clear that I wasn't addressing any other aspect of the buidling in what I said.

 

 

If folk want to see specific bands playing, why don't they organise the concerts themselves?

 

I would be willing to investigate doing so, and would have already done so. However the dearth of readily available relevant information both before and after completion has been decidedly off-putting on that score. "Contact Us" IMHO is a poor way to try and tempt people to consider hiring it.

 

In all seriousness, how many of the people complaining here about Mareel being underused have actually been to any/many events?? To be honest, I can't see how folk think it's underused, but that's just from my own experience as a not particularly regular customer.

 

I had my doubts about the project at the beginning, and I wouldn't consider myself as a convert, but come of folks - it seems like there's moaning going on for the sake of moaning without anything to back it up.

 

Has there been something on in the main auditorium every Friday and Saturday night designed to fill the place? I rest my case.

[Gorgonzola Butt-cheese]

Thats the big question, is it paying for itself without having regular sell out gigs ?

 

Has it taken £200,000.00 over the bar in the last 6 months ?

[grift]

Hi Ghostrider. I'm not too hot with the quoting but I'll do my best

I can only assume that many of the posts about Mareel being underused are from folk who don't actually go to Mareel.

 

Don't. As surely its rather early days yet to label folk as those "who don't actually go to Mareel", wouldn't "haven't been to Mareel yet" be a fairer description?

 

I haven't been, I'd like to have been, but there's been nothing on yet I'd begin to consider paying money to listen to.

 

You have a point, but I said later in my post "any/many events"

 

There's plenty of music on that you don't have to pay to see. I've been particularly impressed with the variety of styles at the singer songwriter events for instance. Might be worth taking a chance?

 

 

 

 

I've been to several music events that appear to have been sold out in the auditorium (and others that haven't),....

 

Care to list those which have appeared to have been sold out? As I said, the jungle drums I've heard have just picked up on the one.

So far the concerts I've been to which have sold out (or at least appeared to - there were no more than a few seats left) were the Blues Festival (only one night), the AHS 150th anniversary concert, the Shetland Community Orchestra concert and Shetland Meets Appalachia. I had a ticket to see Cerys Matthews too but couldn't go, and that was definitely a sell out.

 

All seated concerts mind (I'm not as young as I used to be) but I dropped off and picked up folk at the Revellers fancy dress concert at Halloween and the place was heaving. I've also been to an opera recital and a jazz concert and numbers were lower, as might be expected.

 

 

 

 

If folk want to see specific bands playing, why don't they organise the concerts themselves?

 

I would be willing to investigate doing so, and would have already done so. However the dearth of readily available relevant information both before and after completion has been decidedly off-putting on that score. "Contact Us" IMHO is a poor way to try and tempt people to consider hiring it.

What info would you be looking for before you make contact? From my understanding, each event is different in terms of onstage requirements, staffing, ticketing etc so I expect hirers would need to discuss all that kind of thing in detail with the management anyway.

 

 

 

In all seriousness, how many of the people complaining here about Mareel being underused have actually been to any/many events?? To be honest, I can't see how folk think it's underused, but that's just from my own experience as a not particularly regular customer.

 

I had my doubts about the project at the beginning, and I wouldn't consider myself as a convert, but come of folks - it seems like there's moaning going on for the sake of moaning without anything to back it up.

 

Has there been something on in the main auditorium every Friday and Saturday night designed to fill the place? I rest my case.

I don't recall two sell out events in the auditorium every weekend being part of the forecasts and if they were I'd have been suspicious. I don't know of any venues who sell out so regularly.

 

My recollection is that there were projections to have a variety of events to cater for a range of styles and presumably audience numbers. I'd be surprised if opera or jazz sold out to be honest, but I'm glad they're putting on such events.

 

Also I believe the auditorium is used regularly as a practice venue for local groups - the Choral Society do anyway.

 

On the other side of the coin, I've been very pleasantly surprised by the number of music events in the cafe. It's a great place for an intimate concert.

[grift]

Thats the big question, is it paying for itself without having regular sell out gigs ?

 

Has it taken £200,000.00 over the bar in the last 6 months ?

Taking £7700 a week doesn't sound unreasonable for a cafe bar particularly if cinema snacks are included. It's not the cheapest of places either.

 

However, I've got zip all experience of running a bar so I'll leave that to someone else to decide!

[Shoogler]

The problem with all the music events in the cafe bar is they are free - so costing Mareel but not making the returns needed to justify staffing overheads

[grift]

Perhaps true, but there would be a cutoff point where the extra costs of preparing and staffing the main venue, administering tickets etc wouldn't be worth the extra expense.

 

I probably wouldn't regulalry pay for a ticket for the jazz session on Sundays but I'll happily drop in with friends, get a snack and a coffee or two and sit in the cafe for the afternoon. The jazz sessions, as with most things in the cafe, seem to be pretty much acoustic so they can't cost much to put on and there doesn't seem to be an excess of staff on duty - no more than normal anyway. I assume the expense of paying the musicians would be more than covered by the extra takings.

 

I really enjoy seeing all the talented local musicians in the cafe, particularly the young ones, get the chance to play publicly that they perhaps wouldn't if they were expected to have to sell enough tickets to cover the overheads of the auditorium.

[Gorgonzola Butt-cheese]

I recall it being quoted that mareel would require £400,000.00 in bar sales in order to meet its staff, maintenance, electric and insurance costs.

And I think that must have meant 400,000 profit, which is of course a much bigger cash turn over.

They must know if by now if profits are covering costs?

[tooney1]

Don't. As surely its rather early days yet to label folk as those "who don't actually go to Mareel", wouldn't "haven't been to Mareel yet" be a fairer description?

 

I haven't been, I'd like to have been, but there's been nothing on yet I'd begin to consider paying money to listen to.

It's been open for several months now, and I welcome input from those that have actually experienced the venue and can give a balanced view.

[1979 Sheltie]

Is there not someone employed who organises what the music schedule will be ?

 

Another thing is why did the council have the behind closed doors meeting , for six hours ?

 

It sounds very much like there is things they dont want the general public to know about. Whats the big secret ?

[oxna]

Has the management sorted out the ridiculous pricing structure yet as I have not been for a few months:- family of five £12; sticky sweets £4!?

This, to my mind, is crazy and many have commented to me on the obvious disparity. I imagine they are trying to get people through the doors so that they then buy the £4 sweets etc but the ticket prices are much too low to cover the running costs of a 12 Million venue in my view.

[Rasmie]

only sweets I saw when I was in were 39p per bag - and not compulsory. I noticed other people bringing in their own? hardly a hardship

[humptygrumpty]

Is there not someone employed who organises what the music schedule will be ?

 

Another thing is why did the council have the behind closed doors meeting , for six hours ?

 

It sounds very much like there is things they dont want the general public to know about. Whats the big secret ?

 

There shouldnt be closed meetings about this type of crap , after all ITS OUR MONEY !!

[shetlandpeat]

It has already been explained why some meetings are held in camera. The details will eventually be revealed.

 

My two visits to the Mareel this week were both positive, staff were fine, film was good, sound was good, adverts OTT, food was fine and the place was quite busy.

[humptygrumpty]

It has already been explained why some meetings are held in camera. The details will eventually be revealed.

 

My two visits to the Mareel this week were both positive, staff were fine, film was good, sound was good, adverts OTT, food was fine and the place was quite busy.

 

For a kick in the ass short of 12-14 million it feckin well should be.

[Ghostrider]

It has already been explained why some meetings are held in camera. The details will eventually be revealed.

 

My two visits to the Mareel this week were both positive, staff were fine, film was good, sound was good, adverts OTT, food was fine and the place was quite busy.

 

For a kick in the ass short of 12-14 million it feckin well should be.