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(** mod edit - this discussion started on Jan 7th 2006. The new poll was started on Mar 14th 2007. Bear in mind that plans for the venue may alter over time. Check more recent posts in this thread for up to date information **) (***Mod Edit - This poll has now been closed (27/01/2009) as it is no longer relevant to the thread. Results are as follows:- (New poll) Do you think a new Cinema/Music Venue should be built in Shetland? Yes 44% [ 104 ] Yes, but not current proposal 18% [ 42 ] No 34% [ 79 ] Undecided 3% [ 7 ] Total Votes : 232 ***) The Council are already committed to building a brand new, purpose built cinema & music venue in Lerwick at a cost of £9.1 million. They will receive £2m from the Scottish Arts Council, but will have to fund the remaining cost themselves. This appears to have gone ahead with very little public consultation. I would be interested to see what the Shetland public would prefer to see - a purpose built venue or an upgrade of existing venues. Films are already shown on a monthly basis at the Garrison Theatre by Islesburgh Trust in conjunction with Filmobile (Scotland) Ltd. They have seen a steady decline in attendances at the cinema year on year. Many people complain it is because of the poor rake and bad seating. However, surely if someone wanted to see a current film on its national release date, they would be quite happy to pay £5 to see it in the theatre? A new venue is going to struggle to get the films as up to date as Filmobile can supply them, and at such a reasonable cost to the public. (Example - "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" opened at the Garrison on the same day as it did on the mainland... for the second year in a row. Orkney are only showing it now!) The venue will have to be heavily subsidised by the Council to maintain it each year to stop the costs being passed on to the public through ticket prices, etc. What do you think?