Please find below statements from Society of London Theatre (SOLT) and UK Theatre, following this afternoon's Government announcement regarding post-lockdown COVID restrictions:
Julian Bird, Chief Executive of SOLT and UK Theatre, said:
'Today’s announcement of new restrictions for performing arts venues in all tiers has shaken an already fragile sector. Closure of venues in tier 3 areas will mean cancellation of pantos and other shows, risking organisations’ long-term survival and leaving theatre freelancers adrift with no compensation. The capacity constraints in tiers 1 and 2 will lead to financial problems for venues and disappointment for audiences. It is unclear why these have been instituted in a sector with no known spread of the virus. As ever, we remain committed to working with Government to secure the survival of our world-leading theatre sector.'
Eleanor Lloyd, SOLT President, said:
'This is another unhappy day for the theatre industry which after 8 months of restrictions is already in a precarious position. From a London perspective, we wait to see which tier will apply. Clearly closure under tier 3 will be devastating for those shows that were planning to open after 3rd December, but even the capacity constraints under tier 1 and 2 will have a significant impact on those shows and their audiences. This is particularly disappointing given the great work that has happened between the sector and government, to re-open with social distancing and extensive safety measures.'
Full details of the updated tier system and post-lockdown restrictions can be found on the Government website.
For all press enquiries, please contact Eva Mason (eva@soltukt.co.uk / 07568109584) or Emma De Souza (emma@soltukt.co.uk / 07872501995)
Date Published: 23 November 2020
