Opera House customers to get more legroom

A LOCAL authority has agreed to fork out €250,000 to give punters attending one of the country’s top theatres comfortable seats and more legroom.

Cork City Council agreed to provide the grant to help fund the installation of new and bigger seats in Cork Opera House. The venue is undergoing a large capital works programme.

Phase two of the works will involve a significant internal refurbishment programme, which will include the installation of the seats, at a cost of €798,000.

City manager Joe Gavin told councillors on Monday the Opera House is in a position to fund €527,000 of the seats cost from Access 11 funding — a special Government fund for the arts.

The €271,000 shortfall will be made up in part from the Opera House’s recently launched sponsor-a-seat campaign, he said.

Mr Gavin said the refurbishment plans have been prepared in line with international standards and best theatre practice.

The proposed replacement seats are wider than the existing seats and are more upright, thereby affording more legroom, he said.

“It is prudent for the council to avail of this opportunity during the capital works to ensure that the auditorium is refurbished to the highest possible standard and for the foreseeable future,” he said.

“In that context, I am recommending that this council resolve to provide financial capital of €250,000 to the board of Cork Opera House to help fund the refurbishment works.”

Councillors agreed unanimously to accept Mr Gavin’s report and cleared the grant.

The council has in recent weeks sanctioned grants totalling several million euro for arts projects.

A €1 million grant to help fund vital repairs to St Fin Barre’s cathedral was agreed earlier this month.

It is hoped the move will kick-start the process of securing further funding from central Government for other repairs valued at close to €4m.

In September, the council agreed to buy the original North Monastery School on Cork’s northside from the Christian Brothers for €1.25m and develop it as a cultural centre.

The council is planning to spend €4m developing a €16m flagship visitor centre in the historic Shandon quarter. It is awaiting a request for €12m in funding from Fáilte Ireland.