£95 million lottery grant yields disappointing results

Three film firms awarded almost £100 million in lottery money, earmarked to make 90 British movies over six years, have produced less than half the expected number.
DNA Films, Pathe and The Film Consortium received £95.67m from the Arts Council of England in 1997 to try and revitalise British film.
Six years later the three companies have produced 44 films, and still have more than £27m left of the £95m given to them.
Additionally, many of the films produced failed at the box office.
Box office flops include 'Beautiful Creatures', 'Janice Beard', '45 WPM', 'The Woodlanders', 'Strictly Sinatra' and 'The Final Curtain'.
There have been some successes, among them legendary zombie film '28 Days Later', the award-winning 'Ratcatcher' and period comedy 'An Ideal Husband'.
The three firms are now negotiating with the Film Council for more time to spend the remaining funds.
A spokesman for the Film Council would not comment on the track record of the three companies while it was in "confidential negotiations" over how the "contract exit" will take place.
(GB)