Lemon Tree forced to cut free classes

THE programme of events at one of Scotland’s best-known performance venues is to be cut because of a funding shortfall.

Aberdeen Performing Arts (APA), the charitable trust which runs the city’s popular Lemon Tree, said yesterday that it has been forced to axe its free lunchtime music sessions from 19 February in order to reduce costs.

A spokeswoman for the trust said: “The charitable company is determined to keep the popular city centre venue open, despite reduced funding, and has reluctantly decided to end the free lunchtime music sessions.

“The current level of national and local funding received by APA is only 75 per cent of that granted to the previous operators of the Lemon Tree before it went out of business in 2007.”

Duncan Hendry, APA’s chief executive, said: “We have reluctantly decided to discontinue the Lemon Tree’s lunchtime sessions on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in order to close the funding gap. This will allow us to continue our extensive core programme of music, drama and dance in the studio and lounge in the evenings.”

The Lemon Tree, first set up in 1992, has a 150-seat studio theatre and a 550-capacity music venue.