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Rose Theatre's lack of leg room leaves taxpayers to foot the bill

9:48am Thursday 15th May 2008

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By David Lindsell »

Not enough legroom for audiences at the Rose Theatre has emerged as one of the reasons why taxpayers have been landed with a new £350,000 bill.

The embarassing admission from Tony Knight, the director of the company set up to fit out the theatre, follows last weeks news that Lib Dem-run Kingston Council is being asked for a second time to stump up extra cash, despite promising to close the public strings.

The final price tag for the theatre refit, after a visit from a Westminster licencing officer meant doors, wiring and footwells had to be redone, will be £7.15m, more than £638,000 over the original budget.

For more on this story see the Surrey Comet out on Wednesday, May 21.

Your Say YourComet

Dr Howard Fredrics, Hampton Wick says...
8:13am Mon 19 May 08

The company who made these mistakes should be required to foot the bill -- taxpayers should not have to pay for a company's mistakes.

James, Surbiton says...
9:37am Wed 21 May 08

This theatre is a disgrace!

The council keep going on about £0.38 of the £1 going to central government and our that there are houses on our estates in desperate need of repairs, new windows, roofs, etc,

Yet they waste OVER £11million on this theatre? Do they really think that they will take over $12million from the West End theatres?

James, Surbiton says...
9:41am Wed 21 May 08

James wrote:
This theatre is a disgrace!

The council keep going on about £0.38 of the £1 going to central government and our that there are houses on our estates in desperate need of repairs, new windows, roofs, etc,

Yet they waste OVER £11million on this theatre? Do they really think that they will take over $12million from the West End theatres?
Sorry £ 12million.

ken, kingston says...
9:07pm Wed 21 May 08

Now you know way the LIB/DEMS only got 10% of the London vote, they could not manage a corner shop, never mind a multi million pound council ]bold

Mark, Kingston says...
10:46am Thu 22 May 08

The LibDems have wasted so much money in Kingston but seem to blame everybody else for it. Sheer incompetence is to blame for The Rose and New Malden High Street fiascos - but surely even that has to be someone else's fault.

Mark, Kingston says...
10:47am Thu 22 May 08

The LibDems have wasted so much money in Kingston but seem to blame everybody else for it. Sheer incompetence is to blame for The Rose and New Malden High Street fiascos - but surely even that has to be someone else's fault.

Amy Hart, Kingston says...
2:41pm Wed 4 Jun 08

I am truly disgusted that the Lib Dems continue to pour my hard earned council tax down the drain!!! 2010 can't come soon enough so we can throw these blundering fools out!

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