The Film Unit student committee is more than £4,500 in debt to the Union and has been refused its latest grant application, Forge Press has learnt.
The committee was refused extra funding from the Union for this semester because it had already overspent by £4,624 at the beginning of the academic year.
A new strategy has now been launched to help salvage the student-run cinema, which was awarded the title of Best Working Committee in the Activities Awards 2009.
Finance Officer Martin Bailey said: “Film Unit have been making a continual loss this year and so I took the decision after consulting with the treasurer to not give them any money at this round as it would effectively get eaten into their debt and its money that could be better used by another committee, for a campaign for example.”
Film Unit Treasurer Rich Clesham has blamed the recession and the ongoing building work for causing problems.
He said: “Last semester we did make a loss, due to a variety of factors including the union building works, loss of publicity and the simple fact that the first semester is always less successful.
“We are happy with the Union’s decision not to grant our budget bid – there is a lot of competition for the money and they wouldn’t be able to cover the whole of our projected loss.
“Instead they are encouraging and supporting our new initiatives and we are working closely with Martin Bailey, Claire Monk, the Enterprise Zone and various others within the Union to ensure that Film Unit achieves a successful second semester.”
For the spring semester so far, The Film Unit has had an average audience number of 132 people, which has made them a profit. But last semester the average audience number was only 72 people.
Now Activities Officer Claire Monk is working with Film Unit and the University’s Enterprise Zone to help rescue the committee from the debt.
Monk said: “It’s not the fault of this year’s committee. They were left with a deficit from last year’s committee and have been completely responsible and mature about it and attempted to solve it.
“We are actively working with the Enterprise Zone and have come up with a business plan for them, as well as introducing a Film Society to run alongside them.”
Last semester Film Unit lost even more money, which they claim can be blamed partly on the showing of summer blockbusters which many students had already seen.
The Committee is made up of 29 members.
Films are chosen through a selection process, partly in response to audience input.
Bailey said: “If Film Unit don’t end up in the black this year, which we have projected they won’t, then we would account for that. They are a working committee of the Union and for first 59 of the past 61 years, have made money for the Union, and we are committed to working with them.”
Monk said any money overspent by the Unit would be absorbed by the Union budget.
Film Unit are raising ticket prices by 10 per cent to help increase the money they raise, as well as working on their business plan, promotion and sponsorship.