Reduced gauges in the rooms: the Zenith of Toulouse in “precarious situation” according to its boss
The boss of the Zénith de Toulouse expresses his disappointment after the drop in the gauges in theaters.
Daniel Colling is president of the Zénith operating companies in Paris, Nantes and Toulouse. Faced with new reports of shows linked to the limitation of the size of the hall to 2000 seats (while it can count up to 11,000), it indicates its position. Between fatalism and spite.
“Once again, sanitary constraints are forcing large capacity rooms, in the first row the Zénith, to stop their activity. Indeed, following the announcements of the government (read our previous edition, Editor’s note) most of the events scheduled between January 3 and 23 will not be able to be held on the dates scheduled, and reported to a later date or canceled (1).
For the public, these new reports or new cancellations are obviously yet another disappointment. For us, auditorium operator, after a timid recovery in the fall of 2021 following 18 months of total stoppage, they worsened an extremely precarious budgetary situation, when we began to foresee an exit from the tunnel (success of the various vaccination campaigns, rigorous and effective implementation of health measures to welcome the public, gradual resumption of ticket sales). “
Loans to repay
And Daniel Colling to continue: we will have to start repaying the loans
guaranteed by the State, obtained in 2020 to legitimately allow us to keep our heads above water. Our concern over the next few weeks is all the more acute since the history of this entire pandemic, compared to that of our performance venues, we have learned that measures have also been taken (closing or reduction of gauges), no. have never been decreed for simple periods of 3 weeks… ”
Conclusion of Daniel Colling: “Without any other perspective, we are therefore reduced – again – to hope that the accompanying measures announced yesterday by the State will be up to the seriousness of this situation, as it is to us. imposed. “