This intimate performance will feature songs Mal has written for artists including Cliff Richard and The Hollies, duets he has recorded with fellow Welsh artists Bonnie Tyler and Aled Jones, and stories about the years he spent touring with Art Garfunkel and Belinda Carlisle. Mal will also be sharing what is was like to produce and write the music for the 2014 film ‘Jack to a King: The Swansea Story’.
In line with Welsh Government guidance, there will be additional measures in place throughout the venue, including pre-booked tickets only, reduced audience numbers in the auditorium, socially-distanced cabaret seating, hand sanitiser units, protective screens and table-service for bar refreshments.
Despite the venue being closed since last March, the Grand Pavilion has continued to engage with the community, with ‘doorstep dances’ for local carers, outdoor art exhibitions on the exterior of the building, craft activities for families, online film-making courses and digitally-streamed events.
During the pandemic, Awen Cultural Trust, the registered charity which manages the Grand Pavilion on behalf of Bridgend County Borough Council, has made three successful applications to Welsh Government’s Cultural Recovery Fund, administered by Arts Council of Wales.
Some of this funding, which is aimed at helping the arts sector in Wales survive the coronavirus crisis and remain vibrant, viable and sustainable in the future, has been used to make improvements to the public spaces in the Grand Pavilion to help manage the flow of customers.
Richard Hughes, Chief Executive, Awen Cultural Trust, said:
“We are delighted to be in a position to finally reopen our doors, and welcome our customers back to a series of small scale events, beginning with Mal Pope. The safety and wellbeing of our staff, performers and audiences are paramount, so we have put in a place some additional measures to ensure everyone feels confident about returning to the venue. We will continue to operate as well as we can under the restrictions, so it is unlikely that we will be back to full capacity for some time yet. I think our regular customers will be particularly pleased to see the renovations we have completed whilst the Grand Pavilion has been closed. We have been working hard behind the scenes to get everything ready to reopen – and thank you for your patience and support – we cannot wait to welcome everyone back!”
Mal Pope added:
“I am so excited to be opening the doors for music at the Grand Pavilion Porthcawl. It is such an historic venue with great stories in its past so it is wonderful to be part of a new story looking to the future. It’s been nearly 2 years since I last performed in public so I am a bit nervous too but I know I will get a great welcome and reception in Porthcawl.”
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Please note: Tickets to this event are only available through the Grand Pavilion website www.grandpavilion.co.uk and must be pre-booked in advance.
