Theatre sale not union's fault

BECTU officials have rejected anonymous claims that the union is responsible for London theatres being sold.

Press articles on the sale of up to 12 West End theatres owned by Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group have quoted unnamed insiders who say that they can't make money "because of size, and because of the unions".

The remarks, not attributed to Lloyd Webber himself, have been condemned by the union as a poor excuse for the group's decision to put the portfolio, which includes the Duchess, Apollo, Garrick, and Lyric theatres, up for sale.

Responding to complaints that staff still have to be paid even if audiences are down, BECTU Supervisory Officer Willie Donaghy said: "Of course the employer has to pay staff if a theatre is half-full - there are very goodk health and safety, as well as technical, reasons for this, and other staff including actors still get paid.

"The real problem is small audiences, which could be the result of poor productions or inadequate facilities in theatres. Don't blame the staff, who have spent years campaigning against low wages."

Really Useful Group announced last week that it was actively discussing the sale of its West End theatres, which could raise up to £400 million, all of which would go to Lloyd Webber, the group's sole shareholder.

Adding the sale proceeds to his art collection, rumoured to be worth £200 million, Lloyd Webber could be in line to become one of the UK's richest businessmen - scotching the press claims that you can't make money out of running London theatres these days.