TLT IS READY TO ROCK AND ROLL!
BUT GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC SUPPORT VITAL IN THE MONTHS AHEAD
IT could be a case of ‘use it or lose it’ as Drogheda’a TLT works towards reopening after a major revamp in recent months.
But for owner, Patrick Leddy, the road is still uncertain as government guidelines provide little certainty for those in the entertainment industry.
‘I am optimistic and enthusiastic about the future for the venue,’ Patrick stated this week, but the government and the public have a huge role to play.
‘We rely on the public to come to our shows and support our venues and live entertainers and if it wasn’t for the support that we have received from the local community here in Louth and indeed the surrounding counties of Meath, Monaghan and Dublin both in the past and more recently we simply wouldn’t exist. I’d like to sincerely thank all of our customers for their support and patience throughout this difficult time.’
But he feels the industry needs direction, as many jobs have been lost.
‘ The funding allocated to the Arts Council does not benefit the vast majority of businesses and workers in our industry and there is currently no official Government funding that benefits our business. That along with the complete lack of official guidelines towards re-opening business is making things extremely difficult to plan. We were first to go into lockdown and we will be the last to re-open,’ he added.
The TLT is a 900-seat venue with 1,200 standing, but guidelines state that only 50 can be accommodated, rising to 100.
‘We have ample space to still accommodate a large audience and ensure that everybody is kept safe through the social distancing measures that our events team has been working on, including a new social distance seating plan and queue systems for toilets, the bar and other amenities within the venue. The venue has been fitted out with numerous sanitation stations, and we have a state of the art air-filtration system to ensure clean air flows throughout the venue. We are more than capable of running events in our venue whilst ensuring a safe environment for customers and staff, however all of these changes and upgrades cost money and we need all the financial support we can get from the Government to assist us with re-opening.’
They have also had requests from companies about meetings, seminars and workshops because they can accommodate larger groups.
‘We are having to diversify and think outside the box quite a bit to help us get through these difficult times. I am hopeful that the government will increase the number allowed for indoor gatherings soon and that all of our upcoming and rescheduled shows will be able to go ahead as planned. All current tickets remain valid for the rescheduled dates and we have posted all the information on our newly revamped website (www.TheTLT.ie) ,’ Patrick stated.
They have a number of shows booked in for 2021 and the Autumn season starts with the musical, The Wizard of Oz, this October from the 17th to the 25th.
‘ The producers of the show have been working conscientiously on creating a social distance compliant stage production so all of the cast and crew are kept safe at all times. They have had to be very creative to pave the way for future productions as we enter a ‘new normal’.
‘ Tickets start at just €15 plus booking fee so it’s very reasonably priced and I hope that people will come out to see this spectacular production and that we can bring some joy back into peoples lives. We plan on running one of the shows as a fundraising event for front line staff. I think the work that they have done for our country in the past number of months is incredible,’ Patrick remarked.
They are looking at the end of August as a reopening date and feel that planning events like the Wizard of Oz is something other venues should do.
‘All of this requires the continued support of the public too. If people don’t buy tickets it’s all for nothing. With the correct safety measures and social distance seating in place, I believe the government should allow larger numbers to gather indoors than the current limit. I believe that the maximum allowed to gather indoors should be somewhat determined by the venue’s capacity. They need to support our industry now more than ever,’ Patrick concluded.