Dixielanders bow out of Palace Theatre shows

An audience of more than 70 people saw the end of an era on Sunday as Newark-based jazz band The Dixielanders played at the town’s Palace Theatre for the last time.

The band has ended its 25-year association with the theatre because of plans to close it on Sundays in order to cut costs.

Newark and Sherwood District Council is looking to save £100,000 from its subsidy for the theatre, which is failing to bring in as much money as had been forecast.

One of its proposals, set to be approved this month, is to close the theatre on Sundays and Mondays.

The organiser for The Dixielanders, Mr Peter Hudson, of Mount Close, Newark, said they had played at the Palace on the first Sunday of the month for 25 years.

He said Sunday’s final performance, which ended with Auld Lang Syne, was the end of an era.

The band will now play at Newark Working Men’s Club, Beacon Hill Road, starting Sunday, February 5, at 12.15pm.

Mr Hudson said they had no criticism for the theatre.

“We understand the problems for the Palace. We are very sad that something that has been highly successful for 25 years has to finish,” he said.

Mr Hudson said it was difficult to find a successful venue like the Palace.

Before performing in the theatre’s bar area each month, the band played on Monday evenings at The Old King’s Arms, Newark, for 15 years.

A former theatre manager at the Palace, Mr David Nightingale, who still manages the door for The Dixielanders, said at its peak the monthly lunchtime concert regularly attracted 100 people.

He said it was originally part of the theatre programme, but in recent years the venue had to be hired by the band as an outside event.

This Sunday is likely to be the last lunchtime performance at the Palace for 12 To The Bar, a 12-piece big band from the Newark area.

The band, which has been playing every second Sunday at the theatre for about seven years, has yet to find another venue.

Joint manager Mr Geoff Peatfield said the Palace had been a fantastic venue and their concerts regularly attracted audiences of about 60.

“They say audience figures are dropping off but we have never experienced that,” he said.

However, with hire prices due to rise further, Mr Peatfield said it may not have been viable for them to continue playing at the Palace anyway.

Anyone able to offer a venue for 12 To The Bar should contact Mr Peatfield on 07812 093336.