Northern Whig, Tuesday 29th January 1935
The Belfast Tramways Committee's proposals for making the new Floral Hall at Bellevue a success are causing apprehension among amusement caterers in the city, who consider it is unfair that amusement houses in the city should have to face what they regard as unfair competition from a municipal department.
The fees which are to be paid to some of the companies and individual artists, it is urged, are far beyond what any private concern should pay, and are such that the Floral Hall would not be a success from a financial point of view. It is also pointed out that the competition which the theatres and cinemas would have to face will be at a time of the year which is the leanest for them. In the summer months it is with difficulty that both clear expenses, and if the weather is particularly good for the whole of the period then cinemas and theatres lose heavily. This loss, it is held, would be intensified if uneconomic competition had to be face from the Corporation.
A memorial setting out the views of the amusement trade has been sent to the Town Clerk, and will come before the Tramways Committee at its next meeting.
Another matter which is creating a great deal of interest is the attitude which will be taken by the Improvement Committee to the plans of two new cinemas on Lisburn Road which will be next to churches. At the Committee's meeting to-day the plans for one of them will come up for approval.
The number of people who are keen to enter the field of entertainment, writes the "Northern Whig" Film Correspondent, shows not the slightest sign of abating, and if the various persons interested proceed with their intention then the building trade should be given a considerable amount of employment. Including those for which plans have already been drawn up no fewer than ten halls are projected for various parts of Belfast.
