§ 52. Sir R. Glynasked the Lord President of the Council if he can now say whether the estimate of the cost of the Festival Gardens is likely to be exceeded; and whether, in order that the total expenditure can be met, in view of the financial position of the country, he will consider re-opening negotiations for the Gardens to be kept in being for such longer period as will provide adequate prospects of the undertaking at least meeting all the costs involved.
§ Mr. H. MorrisonYes. The Board of Festival Gardens Limited report that expenditure on the Festival Pleasure Gardens is proving to be in excess of earlier estimates. This increased expenditure is due partly to the general rise in costs and wages affecting all forms of construction work, partly to the scale of interruptions from bad weather and labour disputes, and partly to other causes. The House will appreciate that it is not possible with so much urgent work in progress to obtain a firm final estimate of expenditure, but on the best figures with which the Board have been able to provide me I understand that the total expenditure is likely to be about £1,625,000.
On the revenue side, the Parliamentary decision against Sunday opening of the amusement section has deprived the company of the most obvious means of recouping part of this increased expenditure, and the revised revenue estimate now given to me by the company is £1,053,000. The position is, therefore, that the expenditure is estimated at about £1,625,000, the revenue at about £1,053,000, so that the loss is about £572,000 on the basis of six months operation only in 1951.
28WI must agree with the view put by the hon. Member that the continued operation of the Gardens after 1951 would be the only possible method by which the heavy capital cost could be paid off out of revenue with the possibility of earning some profit eventually as the various similar ventures in the Scandinavian countries have done. The continued opening of the Gardens is, however, a matter for public opinion to judge when the public have seen what the Gardens are like, and I do not think it right to anticipate the verdict of public opinion by opening any negotiations unless or until the public demand justifies it.
§ 53. Sir R. Glynasked the Lord President of the Council whether it will be possible for the Festival Gardens to be kept open on Sundays until 10.30 p.m.
§ Mr. H. MorrisonThe Board of Festival Gardens Limited would, I understand, like to keep the Pleasure Gardens open on Sundays until 10.30 p.m., but I have not felt free to agree to their doing so without having mentioned the matter in the House. My reason for hesitating was that on the occasion of the Second Reading of the Festival of Britain (Sunday Opening) Bill I had mentioned that they were proposing to close at 10.0 p.m. on Sundays. However, now that the amusement section will be closed all Sunday this seems to me a reasonable proposal, and unless any weighty objection is brought to my notice it is my intention to inform the Chairman accordingly.