TORY Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has been left red-faced after he made an inaccurate claim about Cornwall's renowned Minack Theatre.
The outdoor theatre is located on a clifftop on the Cornish coast and celebrated a visit from US first lady Jill Biden and other partners of G7 leaders on Saturday.
Following the visit, Dowden tweeted: "Delighted that @FLOTUS and @carrielbjohnson were able to visit the stunning Minack Theatre. This unique venue was one of more than 650 theatres helped through Covid with support from the £2bn Culture Recovery Fund, ensuring that it can entertain visitors for years to come."
But the Culture Secretary was overzealous with his talking up of the UK's coronavirus response to support the arts, as the Porthcurno theatre pointed out they had not received any government support.
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The theatre replied: "Sorry @OliverDowden but this is not true. We did not benefit from any CRF money as we were not eligible to apply. It turned out having a good level of cash reserves meant we had to fend for ourselves and utilise our own reserves."
Dowden deleted his original tweet overnight.
Sorry @OliverDowden, but this is not true. We did not benefit from any CRF money as we were not eligible to apply. It turned out having a good level of cash reserves meant we had to fend for ourselves and utilise our own reserves.
— Minack (@minacktheatre) June 12, 2021
Due to being entirely outdoors, the theatre was able to open last summer but at just 30% of capacity to ensure social distancing, there was a strain on its finances.
Manager Zoe Curnow said last year that the Minack would lose up to £600,000 in 2020, despite making a surplus in July.
Yesterday Dr Biden and other G7 leaders were taken to the Minack to watch a performance by local children about plastic pollution.
The partners of G7 leaders, including Carrie Johnson, sat socially distanced at the theatre that is carved into the granite cliff near Land's End, the most south-westerly point in England.
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In a tweet shared by Dowden in his deleted tweet, Dr Biden wrote: "Beautiful and powerful program for G7 spouses today at the @MinackTheatre. Thank you to Carrie Johnson and all those who helped put it together—especially all the local children who performed for us!"
Beautiful and powerful program for G7 spouses today at the @MinackTheatre. Thank you to Carrie Johnson and all those who helped put it together—especially all the local children who performed for us! pic.twitter.com/uiveFdHOR4
— Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) June 12, 2021
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