What happened to a local business that was on the brink? We return to a proud workshop

Dear Millers — for today’s story we returned to visit Splinter Scenery, a set-making company based in Ashton. We first visited them a year ago when they were looking at a bleak winter and owner Alec Graham was unsure if they would be able to carry on. Our article finished like this:

Most people now think shows won’t return until Easter — 12 months after the work dried up. That means Graham will have to think about laying off more staff this winter. How does that make him feel? “Very sad,” he says, looking me in the eye. “It’s an industry that is hugely skilled. The UK is a great exporter of the arts. We’re a world leader in it, we have all this technological talent. If we lose those skills…” he doesn’t say what will happen. “I’m an optimistic guy,” he says. “We were going places. And I really hope we will be again.”

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