Theatres continue to voice their concern regarding the future of the industry following the prime minister’s revised social distancing measures announced on Tuesday.
Experts have warned that even with the new 1 metre social distancing rules, theatres will only be able to seat one quarter of their former capacity, which, they believe, could result in an impending disaster.
Heads of all leading performing arts organisations have said that the public needs to lobby the government in the hope of providing the sector with “immediate and substantial” financial support. Before the pandemic, the theatre industry employed some 300,000 people and sold £1.3 billion worth of tickets per year.
In a letter to The Times, signatories warned that the loss of box office income was having a “disastrous effects on companies, employees and freelancers”.
It continued: “Without immediate and substantial financial support theatres and performing arts companies will close and tens of thousands of artistic careers will be cut short.”
According to the letter, the 1 metre rule will only allow theatres to fill “about 25 per cent of our seats, which is not a financially feasible option”.
“Theatre is a national success story, vital to Britain’s economic prosperity,” reads the letter, “It attracted 34 million visitors last year, employs 300,000 people, promotes tourism and generates huge tax revenues, including VAT of £130 million in London alone.
“Our industry depends on the £1.3 billion of annual ticket sales that has now disappeared, with disastrous effects on companies, employees and freelancers.”
