UK Cabaret Special Report
This publication is now actively campaigning for a U-Turn in government policy on unauthorised absence of children from school. The Bristol based entertainment agent John Mills is starting to put wheels in motion for an entertainment industry petition, which will ask the UK government to consider the effect their educational policy has on the leisure and tourism industry.
Cabaret entertainers and musicians will of course look upon this thorny topic rather differently. Work opportunities within the UK holiday park sector form a huge part of the overall income for so many of our readers.
John Mills told UK Cabaret: ’Having worked with many independent and group holiday centres over a number of years, we have seen the number of peak holiday weeks from 15, down to just six, plus the Easter and May bank holidays, plus February and October half-terms. This creates a huge increase in tariff for those weeks, sometimes to the point the family can’t afford to go away in that period. Likewise a huge rise in Air fares/Hotel accommodation etc. for overseas holidays. If a child was taken ill and had to miss school through accident or illness, if we follow the Government/Schools policy, the child’s scholastic career is obviously finished. Many families would prefer to pay the fine, as this is still much cheaper than taking a family holiday in August. This also penalises parents who work in industries where they cannot take holidays in the peak summer period’.
No-one is advocating children missing school on a regular basis, or during exam time, but common sense must surely prevail and allow parents and allow parents to have a choice. The knock on effect for entertainers and musicians is a significant loss of income, and inevitable, a loss of related Tax to the Government.
But what do our readers think of this topic? Are schools right in their assertion that children’s general education suffers from holidays being taken during the main school holiday period?
If changes are made and the rules adjusted, will package holiday firms make the high season holidays more affordable?
Are they enough professional entertainers out there to service any surge in demand?
Will the UK holiday park sector benefit from such a change? If so, how much?
We would like to hear from our readers and contributors on this hot topic. Please comment on our Facebook page or better still e-mail your thoughts and opinions to be published in a future UK Cabaret issue. Please write to mark-ritchie@btconnect.com