IT’S THE PITS
The King’s Theatrical Society (KTS) executive has been locked out of two Pit storage rooms since September due to unspecified fire code infringements.
“Working in the Pit has always been a challenge because of safety concerns,” said Brendan Sangster, the production pit manager of the KTS exec. “We really try to make it as safe as possible and try to adhere to as many fire codes as possible.”
But according to the executive, King’s isn’t making that easy. “I think one of the main problems is that it’s really hard to know when we’re breaking rules because they’re not necessary guidelines that are easily accessible or understandable,” said Sangster.
The storage rooms were emptied and locked up “out of the blue,” says Sangster, and the KTS executive was not given advice on how to fix the rooms so they could continue using them. Sangster says he emailed Maintenance Foreman Gerald Wilson several times, and never received a response.
The KTS has been forced to adjust to the lack of space by throwing away many props and by moving some into the Green Room, traditionally used as a warm-up room for performers and as a book-keeping space for the executive.
David Etherington, vice-president of the KTS, said he spoke to President William Barker before the winter break and learned that the university has contacted the municipality for further information about fire safety. “The university should have gotten that report back by now, but until they’ve looked at it and figured out what’s going on, they’re not going to budge on taking off those locks,” said Etherington.
Etherington also says the Pit needs a third emergency exit to meet fire regulations. A committee is currently in the works to design the exit, which will also help solve the issue of accessibility for patrons in wheelchairs.
– Charlotte Harrison
WHO INSPECTS THE INSPECTORS?
Happy Hour is happy again. At least a little happier, anyway.
Patrons at the HMCS Wardroom will now be charged $12.50 for a jug of their favourite brew.
That’s down from a week of $13.50 pitchers, raised Jan. 6 from the $11.50 norm after a visit from the provincial liquor inspector (see last week’s “Wardroom Prices on the Rise” by Michael Fraiman posted to watchmagazine.ca).
Management at the Wardroom complied with the two dollar jump to account for the legal minimum price of what they (and the liquor inspector) thought was a 64oz. pitcher.
The minimum price of an ounce of beer in Nova Scotia is $0.208. For a 64oz. pitcher that makes for almost $13.50.
But the bar’s management discovered over the following week that there had been a mistake in the measurement.
“It just wasn’t adding up,” said Stephanie Duchon, the Wardroom’s staff manager.
The inspector was called back in on Jan. 13 and the beaker was re-measured. They were found to be 60oz., and the price was adjusted accordingly – to about $12.50.
When the price of pitchers went up two weeks ago, management lowered the price of a pint as a gesture to patrons from $3.50 to $3.25 ($3.00 during Happy Hour).
While the inspector thought that pints were 12oz., they were also re-measured to be 14oz. This does not affect their current lower pricing, which will remain the same.
The changes have already taken effect.
– Griffin McInnes
[Disclosure: Editors-in-Chief Griffin McInnes and Adrian Lee, as well as Online Editor Michael Fraiman are employees of the HMCS Wardroom.]
