• FROM JUNE 3, 2006

Council bosses decided to risk an extra £3.4m of public money to guarantee the Rose Theatre would finally open.

The deeply controversial move followed the collapse of a year-long negotiation between the council and Kingston billionaire Nadhmi Auchi whose company, General Mediterranean Holdings, was to going to provide £3m.

The public money, added to the £3m already pledged by the Liberal Demcorat-controlled council, meant it could hand over a total of £6.4m to Kingston Theatre Trust to fit out the venue.

The money was borrowed at a preferential rate, with an expected maximum total cost to the taxpayer of about £400,000 a year.

Council bosses said they were confident they could attract a wide range of backers, including individuals and local businesses willing to invest in the project, so they could repay the £3.4m in a relatively short time.

The council and Kingston University, which invested £500,000, retained a controlling interest of at least 51 per cent in the property.

The decision to invest so much public money in a risky project provoked a storm of protest from the Tories and Labour.

Leader of the Conservative group, Councillor Howard Jones, said that if the Liberal Democrats were going back on their election promises in 2002, as well as running up huge interest on loans.

Julie Reay, chairwoman of Kingston Arts Council, said: “I think most people in Kingston would want some input to understand exactly how the money would benefit the community.

“It is one thing that it would be unique in that Peter Hall would have his company there, but it would be in direct opposition with the West End and I can’t see how that would work.”

Labour leader Steve Mama accused the Lib Dems of throwing good money after bad under a veil of secrecy.

He said: “There should be a referendum on the issue, setting out exactly what the implications are.”

Philip Cooper, chairman of Surbiton’s Cornerhouse theatre, also voiced his concerns.

He said: “My own view is that it is a completely untested idea. I have never had great faith in a large auditorium in a town which is already 20 minutes by train from the South Bank and the National Theatre.”

But the Leader of the council, Cllr Derek Osbourne, and his chief executive Bruce McDonald were convinced that the social and economic benefits from having a world-class theatre in Kingston, headed by Sir Peter Hall, made it a risk they had to take.

Cllr Osbourne said: “We need to do something to realise this asset. If we lose momentum now it will remain an empty shell.”

  • FROM JUNE 10, 2006 

Patients at Kingston Hospital were being charged more than anyone else in London to take their own money out of a cashpoint. Kingston’s cash machine provider Cardpoint was charging patients £1.85 to take their money out. Kingston Hospital chief executive Carole Heatly said: “Any charges go straight back to the Cardpoint.”

  • FROM JUNE 7, 1991

Kingston Polytechnic announced it would open its doors to a large number of students from the doomed South West London College after the latter closed. Kingston, then rated one of the best polys in the country, accommodated higher education business students from the Wandsworth college.

  • FROM JUNE 8, 1966

MISS Ruby Harrall was elected Miss Kingstonian – queen of the town’s football club – and had a big confession to make when it was all over. Her secret? She was not a football fan. “I prefer watching rugby,” she admitted. Judges selected the 18-year-old telephonist, of Keswick Avenue, from six finalists.