TICKET prices for future Co-op Juniors productions at the Ipswich Regent could increase significantly if it is to retain the Christmas slot, The Evening Star can reveal today.

TICKET prices for future Co-op Juniors productions at the Ipswich Regent could increase significantly if it is to retain the Christmas slot, The Evening Star can reveal today.

Senior figures at Ipswich council estimate that a professional pantomime at the Regent could bring them £100,000 during a six-week season.

They are expected to recoup some of that money from the Juniors if they are allowed to stay at the theatre during the Christmas period.

Meanwhile the ruling Labour group on Ipswich council has voted against any idea of moving the Juniors to February – despite some opposition.

"It does look as if the Juniors will be able to retain the Christmas slot," said one council source.

"But at the moment they have the theatre for a peppercorn fee – and that will have to change."

If the council was to seek to recover the £100,000 that it thinks it loses from the lack of a professional pantomime at the theatre, it could push the cost of tickets up by £5 each.

But that is assuming that each of the 21,000 people who paid to see this year's pantomime were prepared to pay the extra – an assumption that could be wildly over-optimistic.

Officials from the Juniors and the borough council are having regular talks which are described as "very amicable" by both sides.

However no one from the Juniors was prepared to comment on the suggestion that costs could rise.

"These talks are private and we cannot discuss issues like that at the present," said Pam Walker from the Co-op Juniors.

Weblink: www.co-opjuniors.co.uk

www.ipswich.gov.uk