DECLINING audiences and heavy losses on its last production has forced Lyme Regis Operatic Society to re-think its future plans.

A worrying trend of declining ticket sales was outlined to the annual meeting by president Brian Manners last week.

He told members: "Twenty years ago we could guarantee a full house on Friday and Saturday and have people disappointed at not being able to get in. That slipped to Saturdays only a few years ago - and this year we had no full houses at all."

In fact, he said the average house over the five nights of the 2002 show was only 48 per cent with a mere 66 seats being sold on the Thursday. The Society's application for an Awards for All grant was also unsuccessful this year and this, coupled with the poor audience figures, had led to a £3,000 loss on the show.

Mr Manners paid tribute to the hard work of the social committee whose valiant fund raising efforts throughout the year had prevented the loss from being even greater.

Looking to the 2003 show he said that, in a bid to cut costs, the Society had abandoned plans to stage "La Vie Parisienne" as previously announced in favour of a more economical favourite "The Gondoliers".

Performances will also be reduced from five night to four and efforts will be made to attract audiences from further afield.

On a more optimistic note Mr Manners said that in spite of the need to cut costs the society had no intention of compromising the quality of its productions, especially the orchestra - the only live orchestra to be seen in Lyme Regis.

And he was delighted to announce that the committee had unanimously voted to recommend that Mrs Jean Wellings, their secretary, should be appointed an honourary life member in recognition of her tireless and unceasing work over many years for the society. The meeting unanimously ratified this recommendation.

Rehearsals for The Gondoliers begin on October 15 at St Michael's Church Hall at 7.30pm and new members will be welcomed.