Sid Dickinson closed the doors to The Gayety Theatre on March 15, 2020, in response to COVID-19, much to the disappointment of ticketholders and the performers waiting in the wings.
Dickinson, who has been the owner of the landmark theatre in Collingwood’s downtown for the past 18 years, says he refunded as many ticketholders as he could after the theatre closed due to pandemic restrictions, but the reality was, the entertainers had to still be paid despite not having a place to perform.
“We had already paid the entertainers deposits in advance. So, we’re as anxious as anybody to be able to re-open and re-open in (a way) that everybody can feel safe and comfortable coming back,” Dickinson told CollingwoodToday this week.
“We had more than 70 events booked. Only two were cancelled. The others are waiting to be rescheduled,” he said.
Tickets for shows that were not refunded will be able to be applied to future booked dates.
Dickinson said this past year, he sent surveys to about 1,500 people on the Gayety’s mailing list to gauge interest in re-opening plans. He says between 800 and 900 surveys were returned with the general consensus being that patrons would return to the theatre once it was safe to do so.
“That was my attitude from the beginning. I wouldn’t go, myself, even with (lower) numbers,” he said, with a laugh. “I’m not as optimistic as some are. If we could open in October... and the health unit says we’re all clear and good to go, I would. We’re still struggling to get 80-year-olds vaccinated in our area. I don’t think realistically we’re going to have a clear signal from the health unit until then.”
Dickinson estimates that pre-pandemic, the average crowd at the Gayety was about 250 people, and it wouldn’t work to open the theatre under reduced capacity.
“It just doesn’t work for us to re-open for 50 people,” he said.
Dickinson said he’s doing fine from a business standpoint as of now. As he owns the building, he doesn’t have to pay rent and the utilities are manageable for him for the time being.
“I’m an old guy. This was sort of a long-term investment for me when I bought it. This is a speed bump along the road. You carry it,” he said.
Dickinson has opted to spend some of the pandemic time having renovations completed at the 100-year-old theatre, including work on the facade and exterior signs.
“I feel for everybody along the main street. For small business, it’s very difficult,” he said. “I live in Thornbury. We’re green here... but there has to be a border for every place. It’s unfortunate where the border is. It’s one of those situations no one planned on.”
While many entertainers and musicians have moved concerts to virtual formats throughout the pandemic, Dickinson says nothing beats the feeling of a live show.
“The acts are calling us. We get three calls a day. They’re suffering a lot more than we are. These musicians, where can they perform?” said Dickinson, adding he’s hopeful to get back to booking acts soon for 2022 dates, and estimates he’ll book about 100 shows for that year to get back into the swing of things.
“The market is there for us. People like the Gayety and they like being entertained there. There’s always sun after the clouds,” he said.
