Theatres could re-open from 17 May
UK - Prime Minister Boris Johnson has revealed the four steps England is set to take towards “cautious yet irreversible” easing of lockdown restrictions over the coming months. The roadmap indicates that theatres, cinemas and other indoor entertainment attractions could reopen with reduced capacity and social distancing measures in place as part of step three, provisionally set to take place from 17 May. Johnson specifically said that as part of step three “theatres and concert halls can reopen their doors”, with pilots of larger events set to take place using enhanced testing. If coronavirus rates continue to fall as predicted, step four could see all restrictions lifted in England from 21 June. This will mean all sectors should be able to reopen.
The #WeMakeEvents campaign has issued the following statement in response to the announcement: “We welcome the Prime Minister’s statement on a national roadmap to recovery and hope these measures will help plan the return of live events by June. While the steps are positive, our sector needs more detail and we urge the government to extend financial support in the upcoming budget to stop the current talent drain and ensure that the supply chain to live events can plan to return. For this to happen we need government-backed insurance for events, financial support for the self-employed, and grants, not loans, along with continued furlough, for all companies in a supply chain that has had little-to-nothing for over a year and will be the last to return to income generation.”
To support the #WeMakeEvents campaign, click here.
For full details of England's four-stage roadmap out of lockdown, click here
(LSi Online)

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