Mareel - Cinema & Music Venue

[fusion]

Personaly i think they should have sold the building for £1 then rented it back from the council. Then it would always be safe whoever runs it.

I'm sure the other capital investors would have had something to say about that.

 

well with the option of the arts trust going bust (by the sounds of it thats what nearly happend) and it going to the liqudators giving the building to the council might have been the beter option, since it would carry on as it was intended. the council should have not given a grant it should have just invested in it, then it would be mostly theirs in the first place.

 

listening to the radio tonight the rent paid to shetland arts is the same rent they pay to the council. so its just a paper pushing option, and they get £1m for the pleasure. You have to give it to them its an amazing deal, and they keep their jobs, persuming i heard it right?

[Fatal Paper Cut]

Personaly i think they should have sold the building for £1 then rented it back from the council. Then it would always be safe whoever runs it.

 

Except that would be illegal.

 

Shetland Arts is a trust. A trust is a charity. Charities cannot dispose of charitable assets unless it's to another charitable body. Which the SIC is not.

[unlinkedstudent]

So the SIC are speaking to bods to bring arts and music events to Shetland in the future - why would they need to do that when we've apparently got SADA?

[Symbister]

With original costs of 13,500,000 + 600,000 + 1,100,000, making £15.1million

 

If this was shared out equally amongst every one of the 9,928 households in Shetland, there would be over £1,500 each, which could buy every house in Shetland a 70 inch flatscreen cinema TV

 

Which would presumably last about five years, ten at the outside. What an extraordinary waste. This suggestion presumably stems from the myth that nobody goes to the pictures any more, a myth that seems to have grown up in Shetland (it never had much credence elsewhere) in the absence of a cinema.

 

This deal is a good one for us all. We have a first class facility that is clearly bringing pleasure to a great many people and is, by all accounts, at least covering its running costs. Its training and educational provision is a real boost for Shetland students.

 

It's not the deal that would make me think about leaving Shetland, it's the unbelievable level of negativity that infects this thread. But people are voting with their feet, going to Mareel and loving it.

 

I've no connection whatsoever with Shetland Arts, but I do think they've come in for a far harder time over this than many others, in Shetland and beyond, have been given for vastly more serious overspends, or indeed for expenditure that has produced precisely nothing.

[Fatal Paper Cut]

With original costs of 13,500,000 + 600,000 + 1,100,000, making £15.1million

 

If this was shared out equally amongst every one of the 9,928 households in Shetland, there would be over £1,500 each, which could buy every house in Shetland a 70 inch flatscreen cinema TV

 

Which would presumably last about five years, ten at the outside. What an extraordinary waste. This suggestion presumably stems from the myth that nobody goes to the pictures any more, a myth that seems to have grown up in Shetland (it never had much credence elsewhere) in the absence of a cinema.

 

This deal is a good one for us all. We have a first class facility that is clearly bringing pleasure to a great many people and is, by all accounts, at least covering its running costs. Its training and educational provision is a real boost for Shetland students.

 

It's not the deal that would make me think about leaving Shetland, it's the unbelievable level of negativity that infects this thread. But people are voting with their feet, going to Mareel and loving it.

 

I've no connection whatsoever with Shetland Arts, but I do think they've come in for a far harder time over this than many others, in Shetland and beyond, have been given for vastly more serious overspends, or indeed for expenditure that has produced precisely nothing.

 

Exactly. We at least have a building we can use. In the year or so the place has been open, many thousands of people have passed through it's doors to watch movies, see concerts, learn courses, etc. I would call that a success.

 

There's been plenty of other instances in Shetland of money being spent on grand schemes with absolutely nothing to show for it. Where are the howls of protest for those? I suspect it's because that the people who are complaining the most and loudest about Mareel - on this thread and in other media - are people who were opposed to it from the get-go, for no particularly logical reason, despite protests to the contrary and these latest events are now seen as some sort of confirmation of dodgy dealings or complete ineptitude. How tiresomely predictable.

[fusion]

Personaly i think they should have sold the building for £1 then rented it back from the council. Then it would always be safe whoever runs it.

 

Except that would be illegal.

 

Shetland Arts is a trust. A trust is a charity. Charities cannot dispose of charitable assets unless it's to another charitable body. Which the SIC is not.

 

so how did they transfer 3 islesburgh buildings to the council and all the care centres from a trust to the council? all building were built or refurbished from outside grants etc

[Fatal Paper Cut]

so how did they transfer 3 islesburgh buildings to the council and all the care centres from a trust to the council? all building were built or refurbished from outside grants etc

 

Because OSCR didn't exist then, so those rules weren't in place. If they were trying to do the same thing today, it wouldn't be allowed.

[Buckle]

Time for someone to step up and take responsibility for the overspend. Someone with more time than me might be able to look back and see how many times the Director of Shetland Arts was quoted as saying it was on budget.

[fusion]

Time for someone to step up and take responsibility for the overspend. Someone with more time than me might be able to look back and see how many times the Director of Shetland Arts was quoted as saying it was on budget.

 

I think the managment (and trustees) have a brally thick skin so they will carry on on their dream land ideas, all in the name of art. Sucsess for them is if a thing went well, not how many people actualy turned up to see or do anything. You often see press releses on what a great sucsess a show/s has been, only to hear hardly anyone was there. its all smoke and mirrors.

 

They get their wages regardless and nothing cost personally so why change? How any of them still have the confedence withough getting a vote of no confedence from the council and the shetland resedence up there is amazing. All hats come off to the front line staff, most are on basic salleries, who actualy deal with the general public day in day out with this carry on goin on upstairs. So well done to them

[shetlandpeat]

Time for someone to step up and take responsibility for the overspend. Someone with more time than me might be able to look back and see how many times the Director of Shetland Arts was quoted as saying it was on budget.

 

So, what will you do when you get your blood, make puddings and gorge yourself?

 

How would that work?

[grift]

Sucsess for them is if a thing went well, not how many people actualy turned up to see or do anything. You often see press releses on what a great sucsess a show/s has been, only to hear hardly anyone was there. its all smoke and mirrors.

Fusion you're accusing Shetland Arts of deception when reporting how successful shows have been. Perhaps you can back it up with some evidence beyond 'you often see press releases' so we can discuss specifics? I haven't seen press releases misrepresenting shows I've been at. Have you?

 

Some general points not drected at anyone in particular.

 

I for one at least am very happy that Mareel caters for a wide range of tastes beyond (but definitely still including) blockbuster films and populist music. In my experience of attending films and music events claims that Mareel only benefits a select 'arty farty minority' are absolute nonsense.

 

Before bandying around claims of mismanagement and calling for resignations let's not forget that there are ongoing legal actions between client and contractor.

 

The building hasn't been open a year and according to reporst this week cinema attendances are twice as high as predicted. To my mind that bodes well particularly considering the doom mongers who predicted abject revenue failure from the get-go. I hope the deal with the council sorts out the capital build side of things and that the revenue is self supporting. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

 

This deal is a good one for us all. We have a first class facility that is clearly bringing pleasure to a great many people and is, by all accounts, at least covering its running costs. Its training and educational provision is a real boost for Shetland students.

 

It's not the deal that would make me think about leaving Shetland, it's the unbelievable level of negativity that infects this thread. But people are voting with their feet, going to Mareel and loving it.

 

I've no connection whatsoever with Shetland Arts, but I do think they've come in for a far harder time over this than many others, in Shetland and beyond, have been given for vastly more serious overspends, or indeed for expenditure that has produced precisely nothing.

Well said Symbister.

[fusion]

Its all a mater of opinion, Im not going to argue the toss. Just my opinion is just as valade as anyone else. I'm glad you enjoy the place, lots do. I and/or my family go to almost every film and have done since Islesburgh started the films here years ago. I will however retract 'press releases' and change to 'reports' if that makes it sound better. Appoligies for using the wrong 'word'. I type too fast.

[Buckle]

Shetlandpeat can ask the old folk at Freefield, the young folk at SYIS and the good folk at Cope what they think. It's all about financial responsibility with public money.

[fusion]

Even reading the added comments on the shetland times webpage report. gives you a flavor of what other people are thinking too

[shetlandpeat]

Shetlandpeat can ask the old folk at Freefield, the young folk at SYIS and the good folk at Cope what they think. It's all about financial responsibility with public money.

 

Apparently, the money from the Mareel would keep all the schools open, pay for all the music tuition, keep all the services going, keep the Viking open, provide funding for charities, maintain and build new community centres, bring back skips, dog poo bags and a few others I forget.

 

I would suggest, rather than waiting for others to take action, you take action if you have not done so already. I still do not think that your blood request will solve anything, it may sound and look good but really means nothing.

 

Much was done by a few to petition against closure, the Viewforth saga is still running and supported by a few. Although we still are in contact with those who could make the difference, it is a long process.

 

With these sorts of experiences being seen all over the country, it is amazing the "out of the box" thinking that has been going on. Community spirit has been re-ignited.

 

Of course the problem is the sick and the benefit claimants, not the unspeakable sums owed in taxes. There would not be so much of a problem then, though, I guess, with the current GOV restricting funding, their goal is for all services to be in the private sector. It has always been their way.

 

I am happy to talk to you about this, perhaps another voice, some one to stand up and be counted. PM me and I will swap numbers with you..

 

Meanwhile, the Mareel is there, it would be a terrible waste to let it go, and for such a small sum as well when you compare the other things money has been lost on.

 

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