Arbour would have closed Richmond Theatre

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 18th Jul 2002

At Tuesday's meeting of Richmond Council Tory Councillor Tony Arbour insisted he would not have supported the rescue package agreed in 1990 to keep Richmond Theatre open, despite it being supported by all three of his predecessors as leader of the Conservative group.

In reply to a planted question, Councillor Arbour gave his usual misleading figures about the total cost over 22 years of the rescue package for the theatre. Councillor Sir David Williams pointed out that at an average of approximately £500,000 a year the Council was paying considerably less than Bromley Council was to support the Churchill Theatre, or Hounslow Council were paying in subsidy to the Watermans Theatre.

It was left to Councillor Serge Lourie, Leader of the Opposition, to point out to Councillor Arbour that if he had refused to support the rescue package in 1990 then the theatre would have closed.

Councillor Williams, Leader of the Council when the original package was agreed, said: "Councillor Arbour has always objected to Richmond Theatre getting any financial help from Richmond Council. But the loan guarantee in 1990 and the transfer of the lease in 2000 were both essential to keep the theatre open. If his view had been supported either in 1990 or in 2000, Tony Arbour would have been responsible for closing one of the borough's greatest artistic assets."