Theatre under scrutiny
The place of theatre in Bognor Regis is once again under scrutiny as different interest groups present their proposals for regeneration including the Regis Centre site which currently houses the Alexandra Theatre, which operates through a company, Regis Centre Ltd, which is a subsidiary of Arun Arts Ltd, a registered charity set up in 1996 when Arun and the Town Council both had decided they would not operate the centre any longer. The Trust operates under an underlease from Whitbread Plc which took over the whole site at the same time on a 50 year lease from Arun, for one payment of £300,000 (or £6,000 a year equivalent). Whitbread operates the Regis pub on the seafront, its lease expires in 2046, the Arun Arts underlease one day before.The foregoing is crucial if we are to understand the issues because so long as Arun Arts holds that underlease, theatre is safe in Bognor Regis. Even were Whitbread to surrender its lease, Arun Arts would continue to hold that underlease which then would make Arun their direct landlord, unless Whitbread sold their lease to another company, with Arun's permission, in which case the new owner would have Arun Arts as tenant until 2046.
Two proposals to date
So far, we know only of two actual proposals, bar the St Modwen basic "left-over" where a new theatre, 500 seats, would be provided. The Sir Richard Hotham group proposes an 1100 seat theatre, but not on the Regis Centre site, rather at Hothamton (currently car park and sunken garden). It would have advanced features and provide the size said to be necessary to get bigger acts etc to make it sustainable. According to their spokesman to whom the Daily Post spoke, the current Arun Arts would be offered access to the new theatre and perhaps other premises, but the implication is that someone else would run the new venture. Their location is similar to that proposed by the late Ian Harding over many years. SRH has also bought up properties on the sea front etc to make improvements and developments. Part of this is the awful derelict southern end of the west side of Waterloo Square from the old arcade onwards.
By sharp contrast, the Inspiration Group, which surveyed around 1000 people to arrive at its set of proposals ended up with a result where theatre was given a very low rating, justifying, according to them, a small multi-function hall. The last similar proposalwas by Arun under Tory leader, then Norman Dingemans, for a 200 seat 'village hall' on Waterloo Square where the current crazy golf is situated. These plans would run entirely counter to the views strongly expressed in the early 1990s Out-of-Arun polls, in 4 parishes, where 8-9/10 who responded wanted theatre retained.
The Sir Richard Hotham proposals would require major flat provision on the Regis Centre site, something long and widely resisted by many groups and individuals. SRH would point out, as did St Modwen, that this would be the only practicable way to generate the finance needed for such a venture at Hothamton, and it does have the merit of providing a landmark project for regeneration as opposed to the pedestrian unwanted multiplex ideas of St Modwen and after-St Modwen proposed by Arun. The SRH say they have funding in place. Reinvigoration has none and makes speculative proposals as to how the funding could be generated. Whilst the Daily Post is unhappy with such flats, and not impressed by the garden being a private one on the RC site, it does secure theatre and we believe that is what the majority will want. It also will, give us the landmark project missing so far from the unambitious post-Modwen plans of Arun.
Arun Arts, no response - and a chequered history
What of Arun Arts? We contacted them via their Manager, Mike Stephens, but we have had no response. Unfortunately, we have had no response. Arun Arts has had an up-and-down history since its formation. Left without any grant aid by Arun, unlike Littlehampton's inferior Windmill which has had tens of thousands pumped into it by Arun via Inspire Leisure (now given the order of the boot by Arun), it has had to survive through generating income through tickets sales, grants and earnings. This has not proven always a success, they had been taken for an expensive ride by a con man (which made their Treasurer Tony Taylor, mortgage his home in order to save the charity, which was never repaid), and the Town Council had to step in at one time with grant aid and strict conditions, which it did not really monitor if we are honest about it, and it had to seek administration around 2004. Monthly payments were required by the administrator. When these were stopped by the then 3 trustees, Councillor Jan Cosgrove sought a meeting because the fear was that Arun Arts would be wound up and there would go the 50 year lease.
He was assured by the then Chair that this was no problem, they had an understanding that a new lease would be granted to them by Whitbread. They owed around £40,000 in unpaid instalments to the administrator. In March 2005, the administrator sought and obtained a winding up order against Arun Arts and the matter passed into the hands of the Official Receiver who then appointed a Liquidator. Cosgrove contacted him and asked what was required. He was told that there were two expressions of interest, one for £25,000 from a local man which was 'derisory' and the other for £41,000 from the ex-Chair of Arun Arts who had just allowed it to be liquidated. That Mark Rowland, in Cosgrove's view, was unlikely to have such a sum himself, and because he was told by the liquidator that Rowlands had said Whitbread was prepared to offer a short lease to Arun Arts, Cosgrove suspected but could not prove either collusion of trustee malpractice.
2004-2006 - risk of demolition after 'odd goings-on'
Shortly before meeting the Liquidator, Cosgrove had met up, in the Regis pub indeed, with the then-accountant of the Bognor Fun Bus and a London Jewish bsuinessman, Harold Winton. He had a successful business history, he was President of Crystal Palace FC, and also involved in the Hampstead Theatre in London. Harold expressed a lot of interest in the next-door theatre, and agreed with Cosgrove that the latter would contact the Liquidator and find out what was required. The Liquidator, who had saved a theatre elsewhere in West Sussex, pleased to find there was a possibility of a realistic offer, asked him to go back with a price ticketn of 38p in the £, requiring the stumping up of £160,000 - so the overall debt was a staggering £421,500 or thereabouts. This had been accrued on-and-off since 1996.By contrast, if that seems bad, Arun had been ploughing in around £500k a year subsidy when it directly ran the Regis Centre up to 1992, after which the Town Council took over for 3 years and put in a smaller but still substantial sum.
1992, Arun pulls out, Town Council takes over, and whiff of corruption
The 1995 Elections created shared power between the Lib Dems and Labour, posts had to be shared, and Cosgrove suddenly found himself thrust into the Chairmanship of the Town Council's Regis Centre Policy Committee which was supposed to have oversight of the operation (the Town Clerk having been allowed to opt out of any responsibility). Immediately after the Town Council AGM, Cosgrove recalls 2 Lib Dem Cllrs, Messrs Oppler and Paul Beckerson sidling up to him to warn him that there were £80,000 of undeclared debts. He asked McGregor very quickly for a full list of all outstanding debts, it was not forthcoming. Meanwhile, McGregor had got into conflict with his Deputy Manager, Chris Lawman. McGregor contacted Cosgrove demading Lawman's instant sacking, Cosgrove asked for the requisite disciplinary code issued to staff and was told there wasn't one, they used Arun's. It then emerged that, contrary to employment law, none of the staff at the centre has statements of employment.
Cosgrove was then contacted by a CAB solicitor acting for Lawman (actually having an affair with him ...) to say that Lawman would be delivering a package amounting to allegations against McGegor. When they arrived, they consisted of suggestions that McGregor had authorised payment of money to Lawman for a video camera and other items for his personal use and that, where 3 industrial microwaves had been ordered, only 2 were reported to the Council, one having travelled north to Scarborough for McGregor's own business there.
Bognor Town Council - was it on the ball?
Cosgrove contacted the other Town Council Officers - Oppler, Scutt and Nash - the Town Clerk couldn't be contacted, and Cosgrove feared that if word got out, then if the story was true, the evidence would be tampered with. He needed for a decision to act firmly, to secure evidence if any existed. The others dithered, Cosgrove walked over to the Regis Centre, McGregor had returned from Scarborough and had heard 'something was up' though not any detail. He was furious and threatened Cosgrove he would bring the whole Council down. Ciosgrove returned to the meeting of Officers and they deferred to him taking responsibility. Based on what was already emerging, he decided on decisive action, contacted one of the centre's service providers and at 1am changed all locks. The auditors had been in by then and gone through the building and found only 2 microwaves, worth £1200 each.
On the Monday, staff turned up, couldn't gain access, McGregor amongst them. He was told to attend the Town Hall with Cosgrove where the Town Clerk handed him a suspension notice so that an inquiry could take place. The inquiry consisted of 2 parts, those investigated by the auditors based on Lawman's allegations, and a separate over-arching examination of procedures by Cosgrove. He spoke with Centre staff, including Lawman and the Adminstrator who attended a meeting with Cosgrove, the auditors and the Deputy Town Clerk. She handed over paperwork which Cosgrove was careful not to touch but, after her explanation, asked her to give it straight to the auditors.
At the end, when asked if she had any questions, she produced a thick folder previously not seen, and asked what she should do with it. She said that she wasn't sure if it was Town Council or related to MacGregor's catering business which had been contracted to him privately by the Council in 1992. She observed that substantial sums had been taken in cash by McGregor and not banked. Cosgrove asked her to hand this over also to the auditors who said they would examine it to ascertain if there was Town Council documentation in it. The subsequent meeting with the auditors produced a number of clear issues about unauthorised payments, and that, despite their searches, the 3rd microwave had re-appeared in the Centre. Cosgrove later enqnired and found that Sean Cohen, the Centre's PR man, had without authority instructed 2 staff to place it back in the Centre. Cohen's tenure, which was without paperwork, was terminated on the spot.
Cosgrove had also been contacted by a Centre contractor whose wife worked at the Centre under McGregor, they had recently split, he had opened a joint bank statement to find, to his surprise, an item recording deposit of an unexplained £25,000.
The auditor reported that the folder contained no Town Council matter, but suggested that moneys had been taken out in cash from McGregor's business and so would avoid being taxed. Asked what should be done, the auditors advised of duty to inform HMRC. Cosgrove instructed the Deputy Town Clerk to arrange this. Later, an incensed McGregor accused Cosgrove of tampering with his property, though the latter had been careful not to handle it at any stage or even look at it.
former Town Mayor Cllr Francis Oppler, Lib Dem - questions to answer?Eventually, McGregor scared the Lib Dems enough to get a settlement based on notice period. He then pursued Nash whom he blamed, taking out legal action which Oppler pushed for the Town Council not to support Nash through the Council's insurance which he did not get. In the end, a judge dismissed McGregor's action out-of-hand and it's possible it cost him a good part of the settlement he had stampeded from the Town Council. Cosgrove was contacted by the Council's solicitor demanding damages. Cosgrove instructed them to tell George Ide Phillips to tell McGregor to bring it in, that he was fully aware of a dirty trick attempted by McGregor during the episode which, as Cosgrove put it, if it came out in court his counterclaim would not only wipe the floor with McGregor but remove not just his settlement from the Town Council but also his business and his home. Cosgrove heard no more.
1996, Arun schemes, demolition averted by one vote ... even more odd things ...
After that, in the year following the hand-back to Arun, which ran up huge costs the Council had failed to plan for, Cosgrove sought interest from any operators as Arun would be tendering out. One particular group, the Criterion Group as it called itself, approached him with very detailed plans including a 550 seat theatre, an 18 lane ten pin bowling alley, and other impressive features, inc a Lazer Quest, full plans and costings and verified funding. Impressed against his initial judgement of their representative, based on the notion that it was all too-detailed to be a scam, he advised them to submit a bid to Arun, which they did. When the tender closed, Arun had not included them on the shortlist. Whitbread had entered the fray as had the theatre voluntary coordinating group, and another brewery. Cosgrove and Nash as District Councillors demanded Arun reconsider based on the content of the Criterion bid. Arun's chief leisure officer had claimed the group had no financial profile, Cosgrove had seen it and provided the evidence given to him. Criterion was duly added to the shortlist.
former Town Mayor, Jan Cosgrove - in the thick of it
On the night before close of tender, the Criterion 'wide-boy' (that's how he perhaps came across) contacted Cosgrove to say that they were withdrawing their bid, Cosgrove asked why, the man alleged pressure from the Masons of which he claimed to be a member, and when Cosgrove said the Lodge on the Worthing Road, he replied that it was much higher up, at Mayfair - where it's alleged there is Whitbread influence.
Appalled, Cosgrove contacted Arun's Chief Executive and the Council got an independent local government solicitor in to investigate. Yes, the chief leisure officer had been a Mason earlier on at the local Lodge above but wasn't any longer, the Masons HQ denied the wide boy had ever been a member of any Lodge, and Cosgrove found himself rounded on, not only by Arun Tories but also James Walsh of the Lib Dems. However, whilst no Masons were found (he had reported simply what he'd been told), the inquiry report found breaches of tendering procedures so grievous the Council had to rewrite its complete tendering procedure to make it fit-for-purpose. And, the solicitor noted an anomaly. The full Council had approved a detailed document re uses and alternative uses of the Regis Centre site, both ends, the southern to be occupied under lease by Whitbread (by now approved as the centre operator) and a trust to be created to operate the northern, theatre end. However, the final document contained a major addition not agreed by Councillors and not notified to them, that were the northern end to fail as a theatre, Whitbread could install a hotel there. When asked why the Officers had done this in breach of what the Coucil had agreed, they responded that Whitbread had asked them. When this was reported an unrepentant Cosgrove asked if the officers would let him off paying his Council Tax....
Whitbread's Regis pub, south end of Regis Centre
Arun Arts was formed to take the idea of a trust to operate under the underlease along. They soon found themselves deserted by the theatre committee which had a leading Tory or two in its ranks. Jim Brooks, Bill Shields, David Bennett were left to carry the can. They were required to produce a business plan for Arun's then Environment and Leisure Committee which had the power to approve or not. It became clear Arun's leisure chief wanted it rejected which would mean that Whitbread wouldn't have the theatre part. Indeed, so keen were Whitbread not to have it they offered £10,000 to Arun to exclude it, a point which the solicitor had noted in his inquiry report, Arun insisted but on the basis that Arun would have to nominate the Trust which Whitbread would then have to accept as tenant. But, no nomination, no Trust, no theatre.
Cosgrove and a Lib Dem colleague spotted this trend, the Committee was as tightly balanced as at any time before or since between Tory and combined opposition. Arun Arts made their presentation, then Arun officers attempted a demolition job, it became clear the Tories were briefed to follow this. As the evening wore on, an extraordinary scenario developed as absent councillors hastily arrived on both sides, and it seemed that the Tories and leisure chief would win on a tied vote with Chair's casting vote. Cosgrove, in touch with another Labour Councillor on the way back from Oxford, stalled for time by producing a complicated amendment drummed up on the back of a scrap of paper. The Chair called a recess whilst Cosgrove worked with a staff member to type out and get printed his amendment. This was duly put to the reconvened meeting and the Labour member arrived, tipping the balance. Cosgrove recalls the face of the leisure chief as the Councillor walked in, "he was incensed, it was very obvious he was not a happy bunny at all." This one of only two occasions the Tories have ever lost a major vote at Arun since it was founded in 1974, the other being over bus passes.
Arun Arts took over and Shields one day told Cosgrove of an odd moment. A man arrived from a well-known fire prevention company asking if anyone knew where the new Whitbread hotel was, as he'd been instructed to attend to sort out its supply of extinguishers etc ....
Rescue from liquidation and demolition (2), a new name, plus infighting
.JPG)
renamed as Hotham Arts Centre, 2006
.JPG)
Art in the Phoenix Gallery Space, 2006, Steve Emck, Right, foreground right
The trustees invited various interests in, Cosgrove wanted to see local drama groups again able to use the space and also, funded by Winton, to stage a prestigious music festival in 2006. This and an art gallery space pioneered by Emck, led to conflict with the amateur luvvies as Cosgrove called them. In its first three years out of receivership, Cosgrove ensured the operation broke even, and it has remained in the black since. It now has an operating arm which protects the charity from direct risk. "As Clinton might have said, IT'S THE LEASE STUPID". Holding that, the Town, via Arun Arts, has a secure foothold - indeed Winton commissioned Counsel's Opinion about Arun seeking to remove it, and so confident was the QC that he asked the trustees to send it to Arin, which Cosgrove did.
During the breakdown between Cosgrove and the luvvies, after his departure, he noted some questionable issues and notified the Charity Commission who stepped in and required a list of improved practices.
.JPG)
.JPG)
Festival of British Music, 2006
"I always though the theatre could extend its repertoire, the luvvies violently disagreed, one of them saying the gallery space (Bognor's first public arts space) would never be such a thing, it could opnly be a theatre foyer. Since then, Emck has died (shabbily treated by the luvvies), Adam Cunard quit, after being at one with the luvvies, Brooks also has gone (he had come aboard after 2006), and now the Regis Centre Ltd subsidiary appears to pay its manager, Mike Stephens, around £25,000 per annum. Cosgrove questions the value obtained given what he regards as a pedestrian programme. "I certainly feel a new venture is beyond their capabilities, and there's no doubt in my mind they aren't up to running an 1100 seater".
back to The Regis Centre
The Bognor disease
Another factor could be the interest of the University in Bognor Regis. In a meeting some months back Cosgrove was told by Vice-Chancellor Clive Behag of UoC's interest in a 750 seater, that they wanted to secure a good public venue in the town and that they have a major Music Department plus a very successful musical theatre course etc. However, suspicion of a UoC 'takeover' may have prompted Arun Arts to steer clear.Yet, that would be a major involvement. Cosgrove sees this as emblematic of 'The Bognor disease', factions hiding in corners, preventing real progress. "I was told there was interest by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in monthly concerts, the Festival at Chi can't fit that in and their auditorium seems to me not really suitable. As for programming, it's clear that Bognor cannot be another Festival affair, nor should it seek to copy. There is a place for an entertainment-based theatre, less about high-brow plays, more about musicals, comedies, amateur contributions, big name acts etc plus classical and jazz and that gallery space which was the most creative and impressive use of the foyer the Alexandra has ever seen."
The current theatre, at under 400 seats, has really good facilities, including several dressing rooms, and auditorium acoustics which caused Dame Emma Kirkby, the renowned, globally-famous baroque music soprano to comment to Cosgrove that it was the quietest acoustic she had performed in during her 25 years career. It does, however, have a problem roof down to the jerry-building allowed by Arun.
A need to be on guard?
Bognor's theatre is under scrutiny again, will we see another attempt to ditch it? Reinvigoration may have been naive to have allowed a flawed consultation process to enable Arun to say "see, no one wants it", SRH at this time is the front-runner, but the Whitbread saga ought at least to make us all very alert and on our guard. Let Cosgrove have the last word:"When I secured the bail out through Harold, who did so without even going inside the theatre (and when he did he was most surprised as he expected a flea pit), I chose to invite Richard McMann, that Arun stalwart of regeneration, for a coffee at The Galleon just over the road from the centre. I told him what I'd been able to cook up, wasn't he pleased. To say that he looked like I'd pissed on his matches is an understatement. Aghast is the word I'd choose. 'Why on earth have you done that, no company will be interested if there's a sitting tenant.' Ah, as Kryton said in Red Dwarf, Ah, smug mode. I have no doubt at all the Regis would have been demolished to rubble in 1996 and 2006, and I'm just glad I was around at the right time to make sure it has survived. It's what we have, and until we have a GUARANTEED improvement with long-lease, we hold onto it."
