Perth Theatre and Concert Hall - Current Financial Position
Perth and Kinross Council · 19 November 2025
Back to Scrutiny and Performance Committee — 19 November 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 perththeatreandconcerthall.com SCRUTINY & PERFORMANCE COMMITTEE Wednesday 19th November 2025 (from 9.30am) Perth Theatre and Concert Hall - CURRENT FINANCIAL POSITION (insert table) Income & Expenditure – Year to Date Aug YTD Aug 24 YTD Income Budget Actual Variance Actual Variance Creative Scotland funding 306,686 311,636 4,950 222,222 89,414 Trusts and foundations 65,000 75,125 10,125 65,073 10,051 PKC SLA 406,033 406,033 (0) 424,367 (18,333) Cultural Rental Income 135,000 95,383 (39,617) 126,596 (31,213) (Net) Ticket income 382,000 285,670 (96,330) 391,568 (105,898) PBO 36,333 35,539 (794) 37,142 (1,603) Learning & engagement 12,500 10,492 (2,008) 10,250 242 Fundraising/sponsorship 27,500 24,894 (2,606) 28,841 (3,947) Initiatives 15,833 38,771 22,938 5,358 33,413 TTR 0 0 0 0 0 Other Income 13,301 15,977 2,677 13,224 2,754 Commercial GP - Bars, café & catering 118,576 97,879 (20,697) 113,755 (15,876) Commercial GP - Conf & Events 66,968 68,406 1,438 64,245 4,161 Total Income 1,585,731 1,465,806 (119,925) 1,502,640 (36,835) Expenditure Payroll costs 1,030,116 1,061,911 (31,796) 1,053,004 (8,907) Programme costs 230,855 234,871 (4,016) 103,736 (131,135) L&E Costs 50,500 57,512 (7,012) 35,467 (22,045) Box Office 28,500 20,356 8,144 34,794 14,437 Marketing 37,912 52,962 (15,050) 66,241 13,279 PBO 31,400 30,301 1,099 33,514 3,213 Utilities 137,907 114,543 23,364 132,733 18,190 Rates 33,085 33,086 (1) 32,562 (524) Irrecoverable VAT 30,000 25,891 4,109 40,056 14,164 Depreciation 54,167 51,280 2,886 52,500 1,220 IT & Telephone 36,667 33,285 3,382 36,110 2,825 Insurance 16,493 16,494 (1) 15,564 (930) Other costs 98,827 108,355 (9,529) 92,005 (16,350) Total Expenditure 1,816,427 1,840,849 (24,422) 1,728,285 (112,565) YTD Surplus/ (Deficit) (230,697) (375,044) (144,347) (225,644) (149,400)
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2 perththeatreandconcerthall.com - SUPPORTING COMMENTARY The current financial deficit detailed above is not unexpected for this point in the year. This seasonal downturn typically occurs before our busy autumn/winter cycle and is consistent with previous years, except for 2024 when we received a one-off £100,000 grant from the Wolfson Foundation in August. The deficit largely results from the timing of income recognition throughout our programme calendar. July and August were particularly quiet for conferences and other events due to scheduled building maintenance and essential staff training. Income Streams: Trusts & Foundations - Income from The Gannochy Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, and Creative Scotland continues to be distributed evenly throughout the financial year. We have submitted several new funding applications, including a number of substantial, multi-year proposals. These bids strategically target both core operational support and project-specific funding to strengthen our long-term financial resilience. Net Ticket Income - Our programming remains diverse, with performances by Ricky Garton, Malin Lewis, Michael McGoldrick & Tim Edey, and We Came From Wolves. While budget projections are based on previous years’ event timing, the dynamic nature of our programming means direct year- on-year comparisons are not always meaningful. Rental Income - August's rental income was bolstered by hosting both the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland and the BNBF Scottish Championships, which contributed positively to our venue hire revenue. Fundraising & Sponsorship - We are actively enhancing our “Friends” regular giving scheme by introducing a new Patron tier, which aims to attract higher-value donors and boost Gift Aid contributions. In addition, our reusable cups initiative, launched in 2024, continues to advance our sustainability efforts and foster engagement. Learning & Engagement - Income in this category is mainly generated from block payments for classes. Our recent change from term-time to annual billing has enhanced both cash flow predictability and administrative efficiency. Other Income - This remains modest, with most revenue coming from ancillary sales such as ice cream.
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3 perththeatreandconcerthall.com Commercial Gross Profit (GP) - Commercial GP was generated by conferences hosted by The Scottish Yarn Festival, CITB, SSE AGM, and the National Youth Brass Band Association. The decrease in GP aligns with the reduced number of events during this period. Expenditure & Cost Management: Programme Costs - The costs for our in-house production, Restless Natives, were recorded in May 2025. There was no comparable performance during the same period in 2024, so direct cost comparisons are less relevant. Other Expenditure - This covers waste disposal, staff training, and vehicle hire. We are actively deferring or minimising non-essential expenditure, resulting in savings in areas such as vehicle hire, credit card commissions, and crockery rental, all of which are in line with our previous BRG commitments. Strategic Actions Ahead of BRG 2025/26: In addition to our routine cost monitoring and ongoing income generation efforts, as referenced at the June Scrutiny & Performance Committee, we have also put in place additional proactive measures to navigate the upcoming Budget Review Group process. These include: • Advancing workforce planning in line with ALEO Transformation Review recommendations; • Submitting major funding bids to the Scottish Government (up to £300,000) and Trusts & Foundations, with additional project and capital applications scheduled by mid-November; • Launching a refreshed monthly donation campaign, supported by intensified local and national lobbying efforts; • Reducing recurring freelance production costs and selling surplus administrative and technical equipment.