... Festival drops into red EDINBURGH International Festival has landed £220,000 in the red after a drop in audiences this year which new boss, Brian McMaster, has indicated could herald a radical shake-up of the event's programme. Attendence at this year's festival slipped to just above 62 per cent a drop of around 1 3 per cent on last year's figures and way below the 70 per cent target. The ...

... Torfaen seeks management aid TORFAEN Council which con trols Cwmbran's Congress Thea tre are inviting suitable organi sations to manage their leisure ser vices for a six-month period from August 1992. The service comprises the integrat ed management of the leisure com plexes at Blaenavon, Pontypool and Cwmbran, as well as several managed parks. Gareth John, Director of Recreation And Leisure ...

... Theatre plan for Flamingo Land JUST hours after he closed the books on one of his most successful sea sons ever, millionaire showman Robert Gibb announced plans for an 8OO-seat theatre at his Flamingo Land Funpark. He claims the project will add an exciting new dimension to his leisure com plex at Kirby Misperton, near Malton, North Yorkshire, one of Britain's top ten attractions. Plans for ...

... Delfont stepping down as First Leisure boss LORD Delfont said this week that he plans to step down next year as chairman of the First Leisure chain, more than half a century after he began as a theatrical producer, writes Brian Attwood. He said he will retire from the post at the end of the company's financial year on October 51 1992 but will take on a new role as President. Taking over as ...

... New pub deal secures Rumours future A BLACKPOOL town centre fun pub's future is more than just a rumour following a £600,000 deal, writes Robin Duke. rreston-Dasea leisure company Betawell Ltd, which has operated Rumours for the past nine years, has now bought the freehold from former owners Bass. The purchase follows nine months of negotiations and has finally laid to rest speculations that ...

... Weedon makes history as new King Rat GUITAR king Bert Weedon made history as the first instrumentalist to be elected to the top post in the best known showbusiness charity organisation, the Grand Order of Water Rats. The new King Rat .Weedon has been a performer for more than 55 years, with a string of chart records to his name but is as famous for the stars he inspired as for his own achieve ...

... Thorn EMI clinches deal with struggling Chrysalis By HELEN GOULD MUSIC and rentals giant Thorn EMI has bought up the remaining half share in the recording arm of media and communications group, Chrysalis. Last week's £16.9 million deal, which is subject to the approval of shareholders, clinches Thorn EMI's ownership of the Chrysalis Record International Limited, in which it bought a 50 per ...

... Twelfth Night NORTHAMPTON THE first visit of the English Shakespeare Company to the Derngate, Northampton, brought Michael Pennington's production of Twelfth Night. Although not particularly noted for its staging of serious drama, and certainly not for Shakespeare, this visit by the ESC to Derngate has turned out remarkably well. Not a person to be happy with the use of modern dress for ...

... Leisure centre hopes dashed for Morgan MERTHYR businessman Elwyn Morgan's dream of converting the town's former employment exchange into a £250,000 leisure centre appears to be shattered. Local councillors were recommended to scrap Morgan's plan to reopen Tydfil Hall as a top class cabaret venue, ten-pin bowling alley, amusement centre, restaurant, cafe and bar, because of residents' ...

... TUC will be next say arts lottery campaigners TRADES Union Congress chiefs are edging nearer to support for a national arts lottery and could give their backing before the end of next year, predicts the group campaigning for the change. The Lottery- Promotion Company says the TUC could soon follow the load provided by British entertainment unions which have already publicly declared their ...

... Cresswell hits back at critics INSTITUTE of Entertainment and Arts Management president Peter Cresswell hit back at criticism that his organisation is doing too little to fight new problems threatening the industry. Cresswell, boss of the Royal Spa Centre in Leamington, rejected claims from fellow IEAM member Lance Stanbury who said the insti tute had missed the chance to tackle major issues ...

... 'Cut the tax on US stars' says Equity By BRIAN ATTWOOD EQUITY gave the thumbs up this week to a call for big tax breaks for top Las Vegas and Hollywood stars to coax them back to Britain. Fhe British Film Industry and the arts-loving Chief Secretary to the Treasury, David Mellor, are both believed to be keen for changes which would leave American favourites and other overseas stars who appear ...