ALMOST a third of Bolton's Octagon Theatre employees are to lose their jobs in a huge cost-cutting drive. Eighteen people working at the Howell Croft South building will be given their cards as part of a life-saving business plan. The news comes just weeks after the BEN exclusively revealed the Octagon's artistic director Lawrence Till is to be made redundant.

The BEN was also told that doubt had been thrown on the future of front-of-house staff and technical jobs.

Yesterday Barry Wood, chairman of the theatre's board, admitted up to 18 people were now in negotiations with management over the future of their jobs.

He also admitted that the Octagon's production department will bear the brunt of the job cuts.

Mr Wood said: "There are 18 posts which are likely to go under the theatre's recovery plan.

"The hardest hit area will be in the production staff. There will always be a need for front-of-house staff even though it may be a touring company. "The production team will take the brunt of the redundancies, which is a great shame because we have a wonderful team here. We're still talking to people in the theatre and it's not been finally decided but at this stage it looks like as many as 18 people will be affected."

It means the Octagon's workforce will be dramatically cut from its current level of between 60 and 70 employees.

Octagon bosses also confirmed that redundancy package pay-offs have been built into the theatre's financial recovery plan. It will prove a further blow to staff as the theatre struggles to battle back from huge debts which were set to hit £500,000. Despite £250,000 being ploughed into the theatre as part of a special rescue package, locally-made productions will be slashed from nine to three for the next two years. Touring companies and other arts evenings will help fill the theatre in between productions.

But yesterday the news prompted one actress, who recently starred at the theatre, to claim townsfolk will now be offered "small scale, low budget entertainment".

Christine Moore, who took a lead role in Victoria Wood's Pat and Margaret , claimed the Octagon's troubles could be traced back to a recent Lottery-backed refurbishment.

She added: "The Octagon has become a victim of its own success. Like other buildings winning lottery awards, it has cost the company dear. The expense of moving out of the building both administratively and artistically during the refurbishment has amounted to a large deficit. The Octagon Theatre is a unique building, modern, beautiful and bold. It has, however, emormous limitations. Its role as a receiving house is therefore highly suspect.

"The handful of touring drama productions that could fit into the theatre are on a small scale." Mr Wood admitted that the Octagon would struggle to house some touring companies. But he added: "We have appointed a project manager who is currently preparing a programme of events. We are confident we can work within the Octagon's confines."

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