Bury St Edmunds theatre pleads for help as energy bill rises £47k

A theatre has called on the government to provide a "support package" after its energy bill increased by £47,000.

The increase came after the Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, came to the end of a two-year fixed deal.

Artistic director Owen Calvert-Lyons said if the theatre had to reduce its community services it would "have a real impact on people's lives".

A government spokesman said it would "continue to support business in navigating this months ahead".

Mr Calvert-Lyons said the theatre did "a huge amount of work" with schools, older people and children with disabilities.

"This is not just about people not being able to go to the theatre," he said.

"What we've seen over recent years is charities doing more and more work that used to be done by the statutory sector."

The 202-year-old theatre had to reduce staff numbers during the pandemic and Mr Calvert-Lyons said he wanted to avoid more cuts.

He added that the price increase was "the equivalent to two salaries within our team".

Whilst he could increase ticket prices, Mr Calvert-Lyons said it was "worst possible time to do that during a cost of living crisis".

He said a "charitable support package" directly from government would help "small charities like us" in the short-term.

A spokesman from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport said: "No national government can control the global factors pushing up the price of energy, but we will continue to support business in navigating the months ahead.

"This includes doubling our support for high energy usage businesses, cutting taxes for hundreds of thousands of businesses and slashing fuel duty."

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