AFTER years of struggle and recession things are looking up for Brighton arts and entertainment institution Komedia. As it celebrates its 20th birthday this month Argus business editor Finn Scott-Delany talked to founder Colin Granger about its unique business plan.

Most people know Komedia for its runaway success Krater Comedy Club, a springboard for household names like Micky Flanagan, Alan Carr and John Bishop.

Less well known are the obscure cabaret roots of the flagship venue and its journey into becoming one of the city’s most popular arts designations.

Formed in 1993 out of the Umbrella Theatre Company, the idea was to open an arts venue inspired by the kind they had visited on tour in Amsterdam.

The original grade II listed building in Manchester Street, Kemp Town, was bought using royalties from founder Colin Granger’s best-selling English textbook.

Colin said: “It was all based around the idea of giving customers the best welcome, and I think we’re just as welcoming now as we were then.

“It’s the idea that people will come back if you give them a good time.”

While Colin and codirectors Marina Kobler and David Lavender have become more businesssavvy over the years they have maintained a steadfast commitment to bringing art to a wider audience.

The business plan was for commercially popular comedy and music to subsidise less lucrative but artistically worthy theatre, cabaret and children’s performances.

The approach has enabled the venue to emerge out of a long recession in a stronger position – without any dependence on meagre public funding.

Colin said: “When we started we were told not to do it because all the arts funding in Brighton was tied up.

“But our model really works for us now and we run a very successful arts programme with a very successful commercial programme.”

After outgrowing the original venue they were desperate to move but struggled to get support to upsize.

It was only after exhausting all options with high street banks that a chance encounter paved the way for amove.

The chief executive of Dutch ethical bank Triodos visited Komedia and was so impressed he agreed to help finance the purchase of the new building.

The destination was Jubilee Hall, a former Tesco with a flea market upstairs, on the then rundown Gardner Street.

They built a purposebuilt theatre which opened in 1998 and the ‘crater’ basement was transformed into a cabaret space in 1999 with the now renowned Krater Comedy Club beginning later that year.

After the Gardner Street venue took off Komedia opened a second branch in Bath shortly before the recession began to bite.

With Arts Council cuts the venue has been forced to become self-sufficient, relying on the passion, dedication and bank balance of its founders.

After a difficult period of economic depression, the flourishing, profitable Komedia now has plenty to be cheerful about.

A canny deal with Duke of York’s Picturehouse brought the art house cinema upstairs at Komedia, bringing audiences of different arts under one roof.

Colin said: “It was tough to keep it going during the recession. Art just wasn’t a priority any more. The council has to spend money on old people’s homes.

“We did worry that we couldn’t continue to put our own money into it.

“If we’d been with a high street bank we would have closed down years ago. But remarkably they believed in us.

“We don’t expect to make money. We do it because we believe in it.”

This May, to celebrate its 20th anniversary, it has a Brighton Fringe programme and a host of other special events throughout the year.

Visitwww.komedia.co.

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