Message from Labour Cllr Ian Lloyd regarding NBBC Civic Hall:

“Recent reports in the press and on social channels from Nuneaton and Bedworth Conservative councillors reference the Bedworth Civic Hall contain various factual errors and other misleading information in need of correction.

“I would have thought that Conservative councillors Wilson and Brown would have at least checked their facts or even visited the Civic Hall and asked about the issues they are concerned about rather than publishing a press release with untruth’s in it and what makes it more remarkable even when they know they are wrong the conservative’s continue to pedal the same untruths and spin on social media further damaging the Civic Hall and its staffs reputation and misleading the very people that elected them.

“Firstly, reports suggest that The Civic Hall does not take card payments – this is incorrect. The Civic Hall has been offering card payment facilities to enable people to purchase tickets for shows in person or over the phone for some twenty years, and more recently online, with self-selection of seats being available via the internet. There is a dedicated direct link to purchase tickets online for shows from the web site on www.civichallinbedworth.co.uk. In relation to the bar, with the exception of a period earlier this year, when service was interrupted as a result of building work at a neighbouring site, mobile card payment machines have been available. We can confirm that all on-site card payment services are fully operational.

“The second point to be addressed concerns the opening times of the bar – some of the reports in the press are misleading as they don’t reflect the commercial viability of operating the bar at times of low demand. The Civic Hall attracts audiences from far and wide, with many customers travelling by car. Historic trends demonstrate a very low demand for bar services after shows and the associated staffing costs generally make it commercially prohibitive to keep the bar open after show intervals – to do so would mean keeping bar staff and duty managers on duty for around an additional three hours. A late bar service is available on demand to private hire customers if they wish to pay for it.

“The Civic Hall is a valued Borough Council service that attracts visitors from all over the Midlands and further afield. I am enormously proud of the service and keen to nip such inaccurate reports in the bud– they are demoralising for staff as well as being of commercial concern.
I want to set the record straight so that people have all the facts and the solid reputation of the Civic Hall is maintained.”