Mareel - Cinema & Music Venue

[Guest Anonymous]

I dunna understand Ramsie, are you for or against?

 

A'd better pit hit atill knappin English, fur dis young eens dat can nedder read, ir spell...

 

I am very much in favour of a dedicated music venue for Shetland.

But I am 100% against Mareel, in its current form.

 

To my mind, and that in itself is a strange thing in any form, there is far too much money being spent on the stupid design of the building. I wouldn't be so averse to the money being spent if the bulk of it was going towards music development and promotion. But as far as I can see Shetland could do much better by spending a modest sum on a building which could host a good concert, rather than a building which looks good and costs a ridiculous amount of money on design and bulls**t.

In the past many a great event has been staged in much less sumptuous surroundings. The North Star for instance, or any of the halls in Shetland, or perhaps even the odd agricultural shed.

I will be delighted to see Councillor Duncan win in this case. Then perhaps somebody will have the good sense to redraw the plans in line with what Shetland can afford.

[peeriebryan]

I wouldn't be so averse to the money being spent if the bulk of it was going towards music development and promotion.

Mareel will be a key element of music development and promotion. That's the whole point

 

But as far as I can see Shetland could do much better by spending a modest sum on a building which could host a good concert, rather than a building which looks good and costs a ridiculous amount of money on design and bulls**t.

The 'look' of the building will always be a matter of opinion, but the construction and materials are far from extravagant. It really couldn't really be built in a more straightforward and cost effective way. However, there's no getting away from the fact that putting up buildings now-a-days can be an expensive business, whether a music venue or an agricultural shed

[JAStewart]

In the past many a great event has been staged in much less sumptuous surroundings. The North Star for instance, or any of the halls in Shetland, or perhaps even the odd agricultural shed.

 

Sure, it was ok for some of the attendee's, because when you're drunk nearly all music sounds great. In reality, the acoustics of the halls (particularly Burra hall) we're not good - the sound just drifted towards the roof. Indeed it was Bryan's good friend Inness who told me that.

 

Music needs to be about the bands and people, not just the people watching, and this is where Mareel will triumph.

[Guest Anonymous]

Peeriebryan,

I fully understand that Mareel is planned as an important part of overall music development in Shetland. And I know that buildings of any sort are expensive.

But for heavens sake just look at the amount of money involved.. It's absolutely ridiculous.

I would like to see a breakdown of the costs, to see where the money is going. Is that information available???

 

JAS,

Yes, I know what you mean about the crap acoustics in some of, in fact most of, the halls in Shetland. I once knew an acoustic engineer who made a good living from sorting acoustics in such buildings. Perhaps there would be some virtue in spending some money to bring an experienced acoustic engineer to the isles to see what could be done with that. I know from personal experience how horrible it is to perform on a stage where acoustics are bad, and I can only imagine how horrified some of the Folk Festival acts are by the acoustics in some of the venues.

But acoustics isn't everything, and no matter how good a venue is, if the performers don't set up their equipment right it makes little difference. This was brought home to me last year at three live concerts where the supporting acts, all experienced artists, sounded terrible, but the main act was as clear as listening to a CD.

 

And in case anybody thinks I'm against the expense of Mareel because I don't like modern music.. Wrong! I love nearly all music, and I'm as keen as anybody to see Shetland music of all kinds pushed to the very front of the world market. But not by spending the amount of money that is proposed on building the currently planned version of Mareel.

[Infiltrator]

voted no to this. It really is about time Shetland got real with the whole cost of the existing infrastructure before adding to the existing mess.

 

Over 200 public halls, 9 swimming pools, hugely subsidised inter island ferry services and if I remember correctly 16% of the population working for the council. Can't remember if this is 16% of working population or total but it's still way above Scottish average.

 

The whole Shetland economy (& population) is shrinking and it needs to find a new base it can maintain without draining the CT.

 

Garrison is fine for films and we seem to have managed okay for music venues over the past 20 years. I chose to live on an island and I'll accept the shorcomings - if I don't like it there's a ferry to the mainland every night.

 

Aberdeen couldn't manage to make the Lemon Tree profitable, a new music venue in Shetland like the one proposed will just become another huge drain on already tight public finances.

 

On the other hand, just build it, and a new school, and a few dozen windmills (don't get me started) blow the CT completely. Once it's gone it'll stop all this fighting over the cash.

[peeriebryan]

The whole Shetland economy (& population) is shrinking and it needs to find a new base it can maintain without draining the CT.

I completely agree. That's why we need to look at ways to stop the population shrinking and invest in the economy. As I posted above, a new report notes that the creative industries are worth £25 million to Shetland, with "plenty of room for expansion." Mareel was noted as being key to this expansion - Creative sector could be top performer

 

Mareel will not drain the CT. The CT is a pot of money that uses revenue gained from interest and investment

 

we seem to have managed okay for music venues over the past 20 years

Isn't it about time that we invested in our musical infrastructure then? A report in 2003 stated that music is worth over £6million to Shetland's economy

 

Aberdeen couldn't manage to make the Lemon Tree profitable

The Lemon Tree, from its inception, was never meant to be a profitable venture. It was funded by Aberdeen City Council and the Scottish Arts Council - http://www.shetlink.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=64173#64173

 

The Lemon Tree is still open after securing new finance, and Aberdeen City Council and Scottish Arts Council have invested several £million into the new Peacock Arts Centre

 

a new music venue in Shetland like the one proposed will just become another huge drain on already tight public finances.

Projections indicate that Mareel will break even within 4 years. These projections don't include the related benefits to Shetland's economy that the development of the creative industries will bring

[Guest Anonymous]

I still think it would be interesting to start a new Poll on Mareel, to see how many people have changed their mind since this topic started.

Heavens knows, public opinion may even sway me back to favouring the project.

Mods: Is it possible to start a new Poll on the same topic????

[Infiltrator]

Okay, if it's going to break even in 4 years why does it need public money at all? surely such a surefire investment that's in profit after 4 years would have private investors knocking the door down.

 

Has there been any fundraising? there seems to be plenty of folk passionate about the venue.

 

Back to the Lemon Tree, Aberdeen population is 200,000 or thereabouts with a big catchment are probably covering the same again. Lemon Tree was open probably 4 or 5 nights a week, can you honestly see such a venue in Lerwick getting enough trade through the week to be profitable.

 

The economy and population are shrinking, we're agreed on that, but Shetland for the last 30 years has had an artifical economy driven by high paying fish, oil and council jobs - jobs which because of their very nature had to be based in Shetland. All these sectors are shrinking and folk will move away - including youngsters who go to off to Uni and see little in the way of opportunities to return for. The boom days based on the rich natural resources are over.

Is this such a bad thing though?

The local economy and population will reach a new natural level and one which the islands can sustain populated by folk who want to live there rather than folk who are only there for the high paying jobs.

 

Yes the CT is a pot of money that's supposed to generate revenue from it's investment - a pot of money which is shrinking as it's now needed to prop up council spending and it'll shrink even quicker if we allow it to be used for some of the major projects in the pipeline.

 

p.s. studies and consultants only tell you what you want to hear;)

[Fjool]

All these sectors are shrinking and folk will move away

Which is why it is especially important to boost other sectors... no?

[Infiltrator]

All these sectors are shrinking and folk will move away

Which is why it is especially important to boost other sectors... no?

 

Yes and no - there'll be a natural level that the islands can sustain but there's no way that 'new industries' will ever offer the same level of employment that fish, oil and the council have offered over the last 30 yrs. Someone from London in a telecroft (subsidised) in Hillswick isn't likely to bring as much cash to the local economy as the crew of a long decomissioned trawler would have.

 

All I'm saying is that the economy and population will shrink over the next 10-20 yrs and we have to trim services and spending to suit.

[ArabiaTerra]

All I'm saying is that the economy and population will shrink over the next 10-20 yrs and we have to trim services and spending to suit.

Not if we build the windfarm.

 

(I've expanded on this on the windfarm thread)

[Guest Anonymous]

Ahhh Yes!!! The wind farm again.

I wondered how long it would be before you used that as an excuse for Mareel.

 

I wonder if the Mods could just combine this topic with the wind farm one under a new heading of "Stupidity - Shetland Style"

[ArabiaTerra]

Ahhh Yes!!! The wind farm again.

I wondered how long it would be before you used that as an excuse for Mareel.

 

I wonder if the Mods could just combine this topic with the wind farm one under a new heading of "Stupidity - Shetland Style"

Well then Auld Een, what would you suggest for Shetlands future?

[Infiltrator]

All I'm saying is that the economy and population will shrink over the next 10-20 yrs and we have to trim services and spending to suit.

Not if we build the windfarm.

 

(I've expanded on this on the windfarm thread)

 

How many folk do you think the windfarm would employ? Balance that with the folk who would lose jobs in the Lerwick power station - once the interconnector is in place, the Lk p/stn would most certainly move to a care and maintenance basis as per the one in Kirkwall did.

[crofter]

As I posted above, a new report notes that the creative industries are worth £25 million to Shetland, with "plenty of room for expansion."

 

Who is buying all this art? I didn't believe the survey which said Smyril Line injected 6 million into the Shetland economy, and I don't believe this one either. I support Mareel, but unbelievable claims annoy me - every single person in Shetland spending over £1000 per year every year?