Three options mooted for Bognor arts venue

These were:

n Option one '“ a '˜traditional' small to medium-sized performance venue '“ with 350 to 500 seats and similar to an old-fashioned theatre but with some flexibility to create a larger flat floor area in front of the stage.

Range of uses include drama, chamber music, recitals, musicals, cinema, conferences and lectures.

An understage area would be needed with dressing rooms, bandrooms, toilets and showers on two floors. A rehearsal room as large as the acting area should be provided as well as wardrobe, laundry and storage. Offices will be needed.

Building and equipping costs range from 10m-12m plus VAT and professional fees.

This cost could be reduced if the venue was included within the larger leisure complex proposed on the Hotham Arts Centre site rather than a stand-alone building on the beach, as originally proposed.

But this could be difficult if a fly tower, used for scenery, was included in the venue.

Such a venue would need 160,000 to 200,000 subsidy a year to survive.

n Option two '“ a flexible small to medium-sized performance venue '“ a venue with 350-500 seats that has an innovative '˜fixed' seating tier that is hinged so that it can be raised in five minutes to create a large flat-floor space at ground floor level.

This would be designed more on the lines of a studio theatre, without a fly tower but with a grid for suspending scenery and lighting and technical equipment. The report says this improves the current arrangement at the Hotham Arts Centre.

Possible uses include drama, chamber music, recitals, musicals, cinema, conferences, receptions and exhibitions. The large flat foor space means some performances could have a standing audience. It could also be treated as a studio, or rehearsal, space.

An orchestra pit is required with all the backstage facilities described in option one.

Capital costs expected to be 6m-8m plus VAT and professional fees. This could be cut if it is included within the larger entertainment complex. An annual subsidy of 100,000 to 120,000 would be required.

n Option three '“ a '˜destination' film and performance venue '“this brings together the cinema and arts spaces with a high quality film and dining experience coupled with a flexible performance auditorium as described in option two.

Capital costs are about 7m-9m with VAT and professional fees extra. This would be reduced if the scheme formed part of the larger complex.

The main auditorium would need a yearly subsidy of 50,000 to 80,000. But the remaining parts of the venue '“ extra auditoria/cinemas and catering areas '“ could generate enough commercial rent to provide this and produce a profit.

Locum's consultants dismiss any thoughts of a 1,000 seater-plus theatre or multi-purpose venue for Bognor.

They agree with a 2005 report into the live entertainment prospects that such a large building would never pay because there is no demand for it around Bognor.

Larger performance venues can make money, but they require much larger resident or tourist catchment areas than Bognor's.

Additionally, the capital cost of such a venue at more than 20m for 1,200 seats would be hard to raise.

Informal discussions with operators of such attractions suggested none thought Bognor could support such a building.