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| The Public arts centre in West Bromwich to close | The Public arts centre in West Bromwich to close |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Public arts centre in West Bromwich is to close, it has been announced. | The Public arts centre in West Bromwich is to close, it has been announced. |
| Sandwell Council says it cannot continue subsidising the £30,000-a-week cost of running the attraction, which cost £67m and opened in June 2008. | Sandwell Council says it cannot continue subsidising the £30,000-a-week cost of running the attraction, which cost £67m and opened in June 2008. |
| The Public's managing director, Linda Saunders, said: "I am disappointed for the staff. It is heartbreaking. People have worked very hard to make it work." | The Public's managing director, Linda Saunders, said: "I am disappointed for the staff. It is heartbreaking. People have worked very hard to make it work." |
| She said that 60 workers and 120 paid apprentices would lose their jobs when The Public closed on 30 November. | |
| 'Cannot carry on' | 'Cannot carry on' |
| Recent proposals have been put forward to transform the building into a sixth-form college. | |
| Council leader Darren Cooper said: "I know the building means a lot to many people. | Council leader Darren Cooper said: "I know the building means a lot to many people. |
| "It has not been an easy decision to make. The fact of the matter is the council cannot continue to subsidise The Public. | "It has not been an easy decision to make. The fact of the matter is the council cannot continue to subsidise The Public. |
| "The overall cost to the council is currently about £30,000 a week. That is nearly £1.6m a year. | "The overall cost to the council is currently about £30,000 a week. That is nearly £1.6m a year. |
| "That is taxpayers' money. In the face of cuts from central government, this cannot carry on." | "That is taxpayers' money. In the face of cuts from central government, this cannot carry on." |
| Ro Harris, from the LearnPlay Foundation, which provides an outreach service to schools, said: "We employ 150 staff at The Public. | Ro Harris, from the LearnPlay Foundation, which provides an outreach service to schools, said: "We employ 150 staff at The Public. |
| "We will meet on Monday to discuss what will happen to us. | "We will meet on Monday to discuss what will happen to us. |
| "At the moment we just do not know." | "At the moment we just do not know." |
| Dennis Patel runs one of 30 businesses based in The Public. His IT recruitment company moved into the building in April. | |
| 'Thank God for that' | |
| He said: "The Public has had a rocky start but now it's right on the verge of achieving its potential. There are more and more artists and comedians coming here. There is nothing else like it." | |
| Reacting to the news of the closure, mother-of-one Jenny Judge, an office worker from Mollin Street in Smethwick, said: "Thank God for that. It was a complete waste of money. | Reacting to the news of the closure, mother-of-one Jenny Judge, an office worker from Mollin Street in Smethwick, said: "Thank God for that. It was a complete waste of money. |
| "You would not get me in there if you paid me. To think what they could have spent that money on." | "You would not get me in there if you paid me. To think what they could have spent that money on." |
| Jean Groves, 77, from the Yew Tree estate on the border of West Bromwich and Walsall, said: "I think it's a shame. I have a lot of friends who use The Public. | Jean Groves, 77, from the Yew Tree estate on the border of West Bromwich and Walsall, said: "I think it's a shame. I have a lot of friends who use The Public. |
| "I like the cafe, I like the theatre. But I also understand Sandwell College needs more space." | "I like the cafe, I like the theatre. But I also understand Sandwell College needs more space." |