On behalf of Shetland Arts I wish to apologise for the high temperatures experienced within The Garrison Theatre over the film weekend of 16th to 19 July.
The issue regarding the temperature of the venue became apparent on the Thursday evening when the combination of a full house, the mild still weather conditions outside and the improvements to insulation to the building carried out last summer was leading to problems. I attended the venue to watch Harry Potter on the Thursday night and experienced first hand the levels of heat and discomfort.
There was no heating on in the building. All external doors where open and staff did their best to hold open internal doors to try and stimulate air flow without letting in too much external light or sound. Further, the air ventilation system was working on full power. Our staff did an excellent job in difficult circumstances to reduce the temperature as best they could and I thank them for their efforts. This was a new situation for The Garrison and one we will learn from.
Once again I am sorry for the discomfort and distress caused by the unacceptable level of heat experienced within the auditorium. Rest assured, we are urgently seeking a solution to the problem and devising interim plans should, in the meantime, the temperature rise again to such levels.
