I haven’t been to the new Pheonix Center – the Mella Center‘s replacement, or even know who’s managing it.
But one thing’s for sure, I can tell things will be a lot different already
… Starting with higher costs!
Black Cinema Club (BCC) have just sent me an invitation to their next film screening on friday – Valentine’s Day.
Great news – they’re back running their regular night!
Except there’s a difference. They are now charging visitors to attend, as opposed to it being free when they hosted the film night at the Mella Centre.
Sure £5 isn’t much to watch a film – even for some students, but I’m wondering if this is a decision from the Phoenix Centre management or the BCC?
Perhaps with the new center comes higher costs. It’s understandable that the community also needs to be prepared to dig into their pockets for any business to be sustainable, but let’s hope that adding additional costs for certain events doesn’t put off the black community from engaging.
I’m looking forward to visiting the new Phoenix Centre next week… But whether it’ll be on Valentine’s Day, I can’t be sure!
So will you be attending?… Or does the entry charge put you off?
Btw, am I the only one irritated by the Americanised spelling of ‘Centre’?! I propose we keep our r’s before the e’s – this is Britain after all! (When in Rome saying – know what I mean?!)
the Educationally Frustrated student 
I have been reading your post with interest. In terms of the £5 charge for entry to te films I believe that any business must have a sustainable business model in order to thrive. I attended a number of events a the Mella Center and although it was wonderful to see so many of our brothers and sisters there at free events it was painfully obvious that the businesses there were suffering. People did not appear to be spending money at the range of stallholders. So although the center was buzzing it was not an environment were the businesses could prosper or survice without us spending money there. I was to see that events at the new Pheonix Center are charging; and therefore, I assume, paying the management team much needed rent in order for them to not just survive but to flourish too.
Whilst it is true that the charge may put some of us off I for one feel encouraged that it is more likely that the new black center in Oxford Street will survive and thrive as a result of nominal entry charges for events.