Jazz Loving MP Fights For Linlithgow Jazz Club.

Linlithgow MP Michael Connarty is supporting his local jazz club as West Lothian Council propose to increase their charges four fold to hire the newly refurbished Linlithgow Burgh Halls.

As Chairperson of the Board of the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (SNJO) and the Jazz Appreciation Group (APPJAG) in the UK Parliament, Linlithgow MP Michael Connarty was dismayed to receive an e-mail from Gina Duncan a young piano playing jazz musician from Torphichen informing him of West Lothian Council's proposed intention of increasing the booking fee by four times the current rate being charged to the long running and highly successful Linlithgow Jazz Club to hire a venue within the newly refurbished Linlithgow Burgh Halls. Miss Duncan who is now a third year music student at the University of Edinburgh has benefited from the help and encouragement the club offered to her in allowing her to perform to a medium sized and supportive audience. Miss Duncan said "I find it very worrying that West Lothian Council believes the charges proposed are acceptable for what is a community venue.I was under the impression that the Council was keen to promote the arts to all and yet they are making it almost impossible for any artistic organisation to exist. I am very concerned for the future of the jazz club."

Michael Connarty was involved in lobbying for more Heritage Lottery funding for West Lothian (prior to his intervention West Lothian was only receiving one-third of the average funding per head of population) and supporting the grant for more than £500,000 that the Heritage Lottery fund (Scotland) commited to the Linlithgow Burgh Halls refurbishment. The MP was under the clear impression that the SHLF grant towards the project was attracted by the promise of more use by community based organisations such as Linlithgow Jazz Club. Michael who attended (as a paying guest) a performance of the Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra when they were booked to play in the Burgh Halls at the Linlithgow Jazz club has written to the Chief Executive of West Lothian Council to express his concern and ask why these charges are proposed to increase by such a large amount of money.

Michael said "I hope these proposed charges are just early ideas from some junior official from West Lothian Council, as they threaten the very ideals behind the Linlithgow Burgh Halls refurbishment. It was to make a more attractive venue for the use of local organisations and people. I would certainly like to see the Burgh Halls being used by the Council and Linlithgow Jazz Club to offer a wide range of jazz and other music. It must not become a lettings hall being taken up by lets from people who have no connection with Linlithgow just to create increased revenue for West Lothian Council."

‹ Back to News | Back to top ˆ | Print this page | Share this page