It is looking increasingly unlikely that the Championship Section final of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain will take place at the Royal Albert Hall in October.

It comes after its chief executive officer revealed in an interview in the 'Telegraph' newspaper that the venue would find it impossible to operate in the future under "impractical" social distancing guidelines.

Not enough

The Hall closed its doors on the 17th March with notification that it would remain closed until at least the 30th June. CEO Craig Hassal subsequently revealed in a statement on 28th April that it cost £12.7 million a year to maintain the Grade 1 listed building and £14.3 million to pay staff.

At the time he said that the venue would make use of the government's job retention scheme, but that this was "simply not enough to sustain us."

Operate safely

However, in an interview this weekend, the bones have been laid bare of the financial predicament the iconic venue, opened in 1871, is now facing, with Mr Hassal revealing that the organisation was now "digging into reserves" and that they didn't have a "secret stash of money" to keep paying staff, "operate safely and stay afloat".

At present no official decision has been made by the hall to re-open after the 30th June, with the venue's website showing cancellations to the 5th July.

The National Championship is currently advertised alongside other main events for October with tickets available to purchase.

Awaiting decision

However, 4BR understands that as part of its contract, Kapitol Promotions paid a substantial deposit of tens of thousands of pounds to secure its regular place in the programme of activities, and alongside all other promoters they now have to see what decision is made by the venue before being able to announce whether the championship event is cancelled.

The article stated that current social distancing modelling would see capacity at the Albert Hall reduced to around 30% of its present level (5,272) with restrictions on seating plans, box hire, access points, audience flow and emergency exit plans.

Didn't make money

And in another worrying revelation for the future of the National Championship, which have taken place at Kensington Gore since 1954, Mr Hassal stated that not only did the venue require 378 performances a year at around 85% occupancy to deliver a regular yearly income, but that if the hall didn't run at around 85-90% capacity, it didn't make money.

the organisation was now "digging into reserves" and that they didn't have a "secret stash of money" to keep paying staff, "operate safely and stay afloat"CEO Craig Hassal

Impractical

Suggestions that events such as Proms concerts could be performed on-line without audiences were said to be "impractical", with the CEO citing the recent VE Day broadcast featuring singer Katherine Jenkins having taken around five days to shoot 1 hour of television production.

Last to go back

Meanwhile, the possibility of the contest perhaps being moved to another major venue as the contest did in the early 1950's to the Empress Hall at Earls Court would also seem impractical for 2020, with the Royal Festival Hall working on a capacity model of 800 seats in a 2700 seat auditorium.

Earlier this month the theatre entrepreneur Sir Cameron Mackintosh said that the theatre sector would be "the last to go back"and that he felt it would be "early next year"before any productions would be able to go ahead in London's West End.