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| Ulster Orchestra 'could close without funding' chairman warns | Ulster Orchestra 'could close without funding' chairman warns |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The Ulster Orchestra will be forced to close by the end of the year unless it receives £500,000 in emergency funding, its chairman has warned. | The Ulster Orchestra will be forced to close by the end of the year unless it receives £500,000 in emergency funding, its chairman has warned. |
| Sir George Bain's warning came as he revealed the details behind a rescue plea to Belfast City Council that could mean a name change for the orchestra. | Sir George Bain's warning came as he revealed the details behind a rescue plea to Belfast City Council that could mean a name change for the orchestra. |
| "The worst case scenario is that we do not get any further financial support to give us breathing space," he said. | "The worst case scenario is that we do not get any further financial support to give us breathing space," he said. |
| It costs about £4.5m a year to run the Ulster Orchestra. | It costs about £4.5m a year to run the Ulster Orchestra. |
| It said it had lost 28% of funding from public sources - the equivalent of £1m - in the past four years. | It said it had lost 28% of funding from public sources - the equivalent of £1m - in the past four years. |
| Name change | Name change |
| In a bid to survive, it has asked Belfast City Council to back a rescue plan that includes a £500,000 funding guarantee to keep it solvent until March next year when it would be restructured. | In a bid to survive, it has asked Belfast City Council to back a rescue plan that includes a £500,000 funding guarantee to keep it solvent until March next year when it would be restructured. |
| It is also asking for the free use for the next five years of the Ulster Hall, which costs about £160,000 a year. | It is also asking for the free use for the next five years of the Ulster Hall, which costs about £160,000 a year. |
| According to Sir George, the orchestra could end up changing its name to something like the Belfast Symphony if the rescue plan was accepted. | According to Sir George, the orchestra could end up changing its name to something like the Belfast Symphony if the rescue plan was accepted. |
| "If the council were to support us in a much greater way than in the past, whether the orchestra might change its name is certainly something we are prepared to consider," he said. | "If the council were to support us in a much greater way than in the past, whether the orchestra might change its name is certainly something we are prepared to consider," he said. |
| If the money is not forthcoming, the orchestra is warning it could go into administration before Christmas and close not long afterwards. | If the money is not forthcoming, the orchestra is warning it could go into administration before Christmas and close not long afterwards. |
| The orchestra employs 63 musicians and 17 staff. It is the only full-time professional orchestra in Northern Ireland, and plays the majority of its concerts in Belfast's Ulster Hall and the Waterfront Hall. | The orchestra employs 63 musicians and 17 staff. It is the only full-time professional orchestra in Northern Ireland, and plays the majority of its concerts in Belfast's Ulster Hall and the Waterfront Hall. |
| BBC Northern Ireland gives financial support of £639,000 a year to the orchestra. | |
| A BBC spokesman said: "This allows us to provide broadcast concerts for BBC audiences at home and around the UK. | |
| "We have no immediate plans to reduce BBC NI's contribution to the orchestra's funding, but are facing our own financial challenges as a result of the freeze in licence fee funding." | |
| Belfast City Council has yet to respond to the orchestra's request for additional funding. | Belfast City Council has yet to respond to the orchestra's request for additional funding. |