ENTERTAINMENT: THE CLAPHAM GRAND
Ally Wolf manages entertainment venue The Clapham Grand, which reopened after lockdown with a seated capacity of 385. Since then, he’s hosted a number of acts including comedians Jimmy Carr, Russell Howard and The Scummy Mummies.
However, in the face of what he calls ‘inconsistent and incoherent Government messaging’, he admits his positivity is beginning to fade.
‘The curfew is the toughest thing for everyone,’ he says. ‘Although as a theatre we can continue with a show we have to close the bars. We have a 3am licence but can’t use five hours of that. Essentially that halves what we can do.
Every new rule instigated adds a layer of confusion and is another barrier in terms of getting people to go out.’
He adds that the curfew is ‘ludicrous’ and appears to have been put in place ‘without anyone talking to anyone in our industry. We are experts at emptying venues safely. This is not the way to do it.’
The Clapham Grand has worked hard to comply with Covid guidelines, including selling tickets only in seated groups of six, and opening up a new balcony so that it has the space for more groups at a greater distance.
However, when guidelines change, he says, people stop buying tickets.
‘After the last set of changes, ticket sales ground to a halt for four days.’
Ally is also concerned about Rishi Sunak’s new job retention scheme, which he says ignores the fact that many companies in the entertainment sector simply cannot operate and therefore their jobs don’t count as ‘viable jobs’ under the new scheme.
‘We will try to use it and try to trade,’ he says. ‘But if customers don’t buy tickets and can’t come out, we can’t do that. I am still trying to be positive but the current government messaging makes it very difficult.’
‘We want people to have fun safely, People still want to come out. They need to socialise and they need to be entertained. There is a value to it. We need it to keep people going through the winter and we need it to keep people in a job.’
claphamgrand.com