ALTRINCHAM Garrick Theatre says it’s determined to reverse a proposed £21,000 funding cut that could have a major impact on its activities.

The council is planning to axe its annual grant which is vital to the finances of the Barrington Road theatre.

The money helps the theatre to subsidise a host of activities – including ticket prices, the rent it charges to five other theatrical groups who use the premises, and running a weekend stage school.

Theatre bosses hope that council chiefs will scrap the funding cut when they explain its consequences to them.

Garrick treasurer and company secretary, Geoff Noar, pointed out it costs £8,000 a week to put plays on, and the theatre’s finances have already been hit by the credit crunch – with a fall in ticket sales and a £10,000 drop in the income it gets from renting car parking spaces to nearby offices.

Geoff said: “I think if the councillors understand what the situation is they will reconsider this.

“We have had very good relations with the council before but a lot of them were not on the authority when the grant was first given, so they may not understand the reasons for it. Whatever is done, if it means us reducing the subsidy to the community that would be done with the greatest reluctance.”

He said the grant was only a fraction of the borough’s £1m annual arts grant.

Garrick trustee Neil Myerson told Messenger: “The Garrick operates on a financial knife-edge – it only survives because a lot of volunteers commit a lot of time to it.

“This grant is absolutely critical to allow us to provide a valuable community service. The Garrick is a jewel in Trafford’s crown and this is very short-sighted.”

Labour councillor Jane Baugh said: “We started the grant in 1999 because we wanted to encourage community involvement.

“This cut will affect the future viability of the Garrick.”

The Garrick sells 35,000 tickets a year producing 12 plays a year in its main theatre, five in its studio theatre, plus productions by the other societies that use the facility.

A council spokesman said: “The council is reconsidering all of its short term grants that are currently paid to local voluntary organisations as it does on an annual basis.

“We are having discussions with these organisations as we need to align all of our funding to fit with corporate and service priorities. We will be meeting with the Garrick Theatre before their funding ceases in March.”