This article was published in 2002.

Panama Promotions, in-house promoters for The Royal Park Cellars, have announced that the standard admission charge at the venue for Friday and Saturday shows will increase to £4 from the New Year.

Recognising that this is a significant price increase, Panama's Steve Kind said that the main purposes of the increase are to enable the venue to pay bands more and to increase the pay of sound engineers who are currently receiving less than at other Leeds venues. "Also", he added, "we are determined to continue to improve our service to both bands and audiences at The Royal Park over the coming year by improving the sound system and bringing in more out-of-Leeds acts. We believe that we already provide a first class show and that a price tag of £4 is not by any means excessive"

Panama will also be considering ways of discounting the admission charge by introducing a membership scheme, or offering reduced admission to targeted audience groups.

In other news, the hugely successful Hyena Lounge Comedy Club have concluded a deal with Panama Promotions to expand their shows to the Royal Park Cellars starting on Thursday 16th January. The shows will run for an indefinite period in tandem with those already being held at The Original Oak in Headingly which are regularly sold out.

The Hyena Lounge regularly brings nationally known comedians to venues in Leeds and intends to run the Royal Park shows as double-headers with the Original Oak - the same acts appearing at both venues in a different running order.

Royal Park in-house promoter Steve Kind said:

"We're very excited about this development and will be going flat-out to make a success of it. Although it will mean that Thursday nights won't be available for bands for a while we believe that the comedy nights will be good for the venue. If they are successful, the landlord at the Royal Park has agreed to consider re-locating them to the ground floor lounge - which would make the Cellars once more available for bands and could mean that we'll be hosting two separate shows at the Royal Park on Thursdays".

Listings for the Hyena Lounge shows will appear shortly at www.vinery.demon.co.uk/panama.