Town hall under fire as venue

After paying $172 to watch a show in Masterton Town Hall, and barely being able to see the stage, Carterton woman Yvonne Rhodes says she won't be going back.

Mrs Rhodes said she and a friend paid a total of $172 for two seats, to the Glenn Miller show, that were "worth $10".

She said she could only see one fifth of the stage, as the seating was not tiered so she was blocked by people. "My friend, I don't think she saw any of the stage".

"We were row E, five rows from the back, so we weren't right at the back and we just basically couldn't see anything.

"People all around us were complaining about the fact that they couldn't see," Mrs Rhodes said.

She said the price of the show, for what she got, frustrated her most.

"To pay that sort of money to see nothing, it's really not on.

"If people are going to pay city prices to see these shows, they must be afforded a clear view of the stage."

Mrs Rhodes said she will not bother going back until the situation is remedied.

"If there are any other shows ... we're going to go to Palmerston North to see them, it's worth that extra travel to be able to have a view of the stage at least."

She wanted to see Stan Walker, in Masterton, later this year but now won't bother going.

Mrs Rhodes has heard of others who will not go to town hall shows because of the seating and said it is time council responds.

She said the Carterton Event Centre's tiered seating, which is put up for shows, is "brilliant".

"Surely it would just be such an asset to be able to have that there [at the town hall], and if that happened you might find that more shows might come to Masterton."

Mrs Rhodes has written a letter to the council expressing her discontent.

Carterton Mayor Ron Mark said if people want to put on a good show, that caters for 350 people or less, to go to Carterton.

He said Masterton facilities can cater for larger audiences but have some limitations.

"Older buildings have their constraints and people should understand that ... acoustics may not be as good, seating may not be as good for some people," Mr Mark said.

Carterton's raised seating is dismantled after each event and can also be converted into different stages, and a cat walk.

"If people wish to hire it out for a performance in Masterton they can. It might well be that they don't need to buy anything, they might just need to hire it."

The town hall was built in 1915. Masterton District Council chief executive Wes ten Hove said the hall's flat floor limits some uses but is advantageous for others.

Mr ten Hove said it is up to hirers to determine seating arrangements and pricing.

"Tiered seating can be brought in, but it is a potential added expense for hirers and patrons or ratepayers, against the costs of alternative facilities in the region.

"In the case of Thursday's concert ... the promoters made the decision to elevate the musicians using risers."

He said there was an audience of about 570 people and that council have not received any complaints about restricted view at that concert, or any other event in recent years.