The council has voted to return £225,000 snatched away from the city’s arts charity in a “baffling” budget cut.
Aberdeen Performing Arts bosses were left “devastated” when the cash promised to help with renovating His Majesty’s Theatre (HMT) was axed in March.
The upgrades are designed to help future-proof HMT for the post-Covid era.
And the council’s culture tsar, Marie Boulton, even suggested the funding was pulled as punishment for her breaking rank during a vote weeks prior.
Plot twist worthy of the stage
But whatever the motive for the snub, the local authority’s new Lib Dem and SNP ruling administration has reversed it at the earliest opportunity.
The move was included in a package of proposals put forward relating to the £150 million city centre masterplan during an eventful meeting yesterday.
Alongside other measures, such as the more divisive decision to keep buses on Union Street, it was approved by 25 votes to 18.
‘We thought it was wrong’
Introducing the idea, council co-leader Ian Yuill told the meeting it would “right a wrong”.
Speaking last night, the leader of the Lib Dem group added: “Both ourselves and the SNP thought the decision the council took in March was wrong.
“I was aware of APA’s concerns at the time, and those were concerns that we shared.
“So we were very pleased today to be able to restore that funding to APA.”
What are the HMT upgrades?
APA bosses said the Rosemount Viaduct venue’s “restricted open spaces for gathering” were proving “challenging” during Covid restrictions.
The work will take place on the five-storey glazed block which houses the box office and catering offering.
To create that badly needed extra space, the staircase is being shifted and the cafe moved.
Had an amazing time tonight at His Majesty’s Theatre seeing Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Thank you to all the cast and crew! @APAWhatsOn #HMT #Aberdeen pic.twitter.com/l0xfT6iYqS
— Amanda Ferguson (@Amanda_F_1987) June 28, 2022
Workers will also create a “new and expanded cafe bar” on the floor above, offering impressive views over the upgraded Union Terrace Garden.
Work on the extension project got underway, despite the uncertainty over the council’s contribution.
Were councillors right to reverse this decision? Let us know in our comments section below.
‘Hope for the future’ restored as council funds HMT upgrades
Then-chairwoman of the arts organisation, Jane Spiers, told us she was given “no advance warning” of the cash blow.
She explained the upgrades had been planned to give the historic venue “hope for the future”.
Mrs Boulton suggested there was a “link” to her voting against Union Street pedestrianisation – and invited people to “draw their own conclusions”.
Her Labour and Conservative administration colleagues, however, rejected the suggestion there was anything spiteful in their actions.
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