Theatres fear the curtain will fall
EXETER’S flagship theatre is in consultation with a view to making staff redundancies.
The Northcott Theatre has lost nearly £2 million in revenue during the pandemic, and was dealt another financial blow after its application to Arts Council England’s Covid-19 Emergency Response Fund was unsuccessful.
The theatre’s autumn and Christmas seasons will now not go ahead, and the theatre said it would be contacting bookers to arrange refunds.
Despite losing millions, the Northcott said: “It now seems that this relatively stable financial position means we haven’t been considered for support from this scheme, which was specifically set up to help organisations who wouldn’t otherwise survive until the end of September 2020.”
Daniel Buckroyd artistic director and chief executive of the Northcott, said: “If we can’t open again soon, we will have lost around 200 performances and nearly £2 million in income by Christmas.
“Even with the job retention scheme that the Government put in place helping us through the first few months of this, we’re going to be struggling as we head into the autumn, and although the Government recently announced £1.5 billion of support for the cultural heritage and arts sectors the fact is that we won’t know for quite a while yet what that’s going to mean for the Northcott.”
He said that the consultation over redundancies was “essential to safeguard the Northcott’s financial position and ensure that the Northcott charity, remains fighting fit and ready for when we’re allowed to reopen”.
“To our audiences I want to say, rest assured we will open again, as soon as possible, after this unexpected interval. We may be closed, but we’re very much alive.”
The lockdown has hit theatres across the region, from Theatre Royal Plymouth to the Acorn in Penzance.
While pubs, hairdressers and hotels could reopen from July 4, much of the performing arts sector was dismayed that they would have to remain closed.
On Sunday the Government announced a £1.57 billion investment to protect Britain’s cultural, arts and heritage institutions but it is uncertain which venues will benefit and how they will apply.
The Acorn – which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year – was among the many that resorted to launching a Crowdfunder. The venue’s manager, Richie Cawley, said that without government and Arts Council funding The Acorn would not survive long term.