MELT!
ot the Whatever Festival in the run up to the annual event, issuing warnings of despondency and gloom, with
EDINBURGH FOLK F
We are getting used to the Chairperson I i800?!de-
ESTIVAL
" .: "’I’ a}. ’
Latest to make fears public, Robin
Morton of Edinburgh‘s Folk Festival. ( When lurther quizzed he admitted that
intimations that because of inadequate i there is no way that the Festival will not
linancial support, the event is in
WATERSTONES
An outstanding sales pertormance lrom Waterstone‘s Edinburgh bookshop has helped to rescue the precarious position ol a young company which has incurred trading losses at over £300,000 since it began business in 1982. According to Publishing News, the shop in George Street which opened last April, is now ‘undoubtedlythe tlagship‘ otTim Waterstone‘s eight-strong tleet.
Hazel Broadloot, the manageress, says the shop expects a turnover at £1 million by the end ol its lirst year. What is the secret ol its success? ‘We did worry about the location. When I came up tor interview on Saturday alternoon, my knees were shaking because the street was deserted trom Castle Street to Charlotte Square, but that‘s a bonus lorpeople in cars.
Ms Broadtoot thinks that the lriendly informed service is enhanced by the layout at the shop, with all the books on one tloorwhich creates an impression ol space. The modern design. good lighting, soit chairs tor browsers and soothing classical music are all part of
a stylish nEw _re_ta_i|_ approach to selling._
take place— even it he has to take a
Jazz Sunday which is to be repeated on
Another obvious asset is the extended opening times: Tim Waterstone claims that over halt the sales are made during ‘unsocial hours'. On weekdays the shops are open until 10pm and until 7pm on weekends. ‘We operate on a split shilt system.‘ says Ms Broadtoot, ‘and stall are quite happy to work Sundays, because there are no boxes to unpack or calls from publishers so you can concentrate on the customers which is the nicest part olthe job.‘
Most ol the top ten books over the Christmas period at Waterstone's were Scottish publications from the all-important national dictionaryto Munro’s mountaineering guide to Norman McCaig’s ‘Collected Poems‘.
The Edinburgh shop claims to be tully committed both to Scottish writers (they would like to see lurther readings along the lines of Norman McCaig’s last year) and Scottish Publishers. The presenting ol ‘events‘ has considerably contributed to the ‘style‘ ol Waterstone's, and while it is by no means the only bookshop in Edinburgh
to have had events they have broadened the concept to include a
Winnie the Pooh Children‘s Party and a
severely reduced tee. Certain events of
this, Scotland's major celebration at traditional and lolk music, may have to be axed, Including popular evenings like the linals ot the Folk Groups competition, and the money instead spent on advertising and printing programmes.
The Festival had, by last year, at last proved itsell tinancially viable and the recent decision by Scottish and Newcastle Brewers to pull out at sponsorship has given the committee hardly any time to lind the necessary cash trom other sources. They are seeking new sponsors who would join, among others, the Bank at Scotland, Edinburgh District Council, STV, W. H. Smith and smaller companies like Cochrane‘s Farm Eggs!
It appears that the Commonwealth Games is sucking up the advertising and sponsorship budgets of a host ol organisations this year and this may have contributed to S & N's change at
; policy. However, the company will continue to be linked with the Spring
event as the bars of the two student unions, the main venues, are supplied by the brewery.
We look hopelully to another patron stepping in to consolidate the
restructuring and strengthening olthe
ten day lestival which is set to become one at Europe‘s best. The Moscow State Balalaika Orchestra;
. Blowzabella, an English bagpipe and hurdy-gurdy ensemble;
Pedwarrinybar, a young group in
concert with the London Welsh Male
Voice Choir, and a 30 piece dance and music troupe from Spain. . . gives a taste ol the international scope ol the lestival, while there are always a night
ot Scottish Dance bands or, torthose
who cannot sit still, a dance with Jim Johnstone and his Band.
Breaking down the barriers has been the intention ol the lestival and one more hurdle won’t stop them but do you know someone with a lew thousand pounds to spare?
26 January. 0n the last Jazz Sunday people were dancing between the books while the shop neatly notched up its best eversales day.
’ LETTERS
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Address yoin‘minrncnls ll) lcllci' lorni roThe Editors. 14 High Street. Edinburgh. EH1 1TE or 13 Bath Street. Glasgow, 02 WY.
2 Allan Hunter talks to Brazilian
director. Hector Babenco about his new film Kiss of (he Spiderwoman.
4 Policeman Sting arrives in Scotland shortly with his Blue Turtle Team.
Pierre Perrone spoke to him in Paris
about his out of uniform activities.
5 Irn Bru: Graham Caldwell discovers some facts behind the legend. 8 Philip Prowse has won much praise for his design and direction at the Citizens‘ Theatre. Here he discusses his work with Sarah Hemming. 11 Listings: Theatre 13. Dance 14. Music 16. Film 22. Art 28. Kids 34. Sport 36. Open 38. Time Out 39. Media 41 . Books 44.
21
Listen: Who‘s doing what to whom
in the Music Biz. 46 Style: Doesn‘t tempus fugit'.’ 48 Backlist: Lucy Ash looks at the crisis at Scott Lithgow and its effects on the area.
CONTRIBUTORS
Publisher Robin Hodge. Editors Nigel Billcn. Sarah Hemming, Glasgow Editors Graham Caldwell. Lucy Ash. Design Simon Esterson. Advertising Manager (Edinburgh) Joanna Watson. Advertising Assistants Fiona Murray. Suzie Paterson. Eleanor Harris. Advertising (Glasgow) Chris Banks. Typesetting Jo Kennedy and Hewer Text. Publications Manager Sally Kinnes. Circulation Jane Ellis. Eleanor Harris. Circulation (Glasgow) Eleanor Harris, 0ltice Administration Fiona Murray Production Editor John R. MacWilliam. Production
i Assistants Toby Porter. Paul Keir.
Trevor Johnston. Alan Gordon. Art Alice Bain. Lucy Ash, Books Alan Taylor. Classical Music Carol Main. Film Allan Hunter. TrevorJohnston. Folk/Jazz Norman Chalmers. Kids Sally Kinnes. Media Allan Hunter. Sally Kinnes. Open Richard Norris. Rock (Edinburgh) Alastair Mabbott. Rock (Glasgow) Andrea Miller. Sport Mark Ellis. Janet MacLean. Graham Caldwell. Theatre Sarah Hemming. Photos Clare Stephen. Hilary Paton. Chris Hill. Graphics Paul Gray. John MacWilliam.
Thanks to Lorraine Brown. John Hewer. Darien Printing Company. Cover: Sting Cover Design Simon Esterson.
Published by The List Ltd. 14 High Street. Edinburgh. 5581191 and
13 Bath Street. Glasgow 332 3393. Subscriptions; 1; 15 per year. £8 for 6 months. payable to The List Ltd.
Printed by Dunfermline Press Ltd
The List l()— 23 January 1