Johnson expected to relax two-metre social distancing rule this week
● Fate of Scottish productions hang in the balance
Boris Johnson will unveil plans this week to reopen the hospitality sector in England from 4 July, with growing expectations that he will agree tomorrow to relax the two-metre social distancing rule.
The decision would place further pressure on First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to cut the limit in Scotland. The safe distance rule has already been reduced to one metre in Northern Ireland’s schools.
A review of the distance in Scotland is being carried out by Ms Sturgeon’s scientific advisers and is expected to report back by 2 July.
Hospitality chiefs have warned that two metres is too restrictive to make trading possible and say it must be reduced or tens of thousands of bars and restaurants could go out of business.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak gave a strong hint that the twometre rule will be reduced in England when he said a review ordered by Mr Johnson “will make an enormous difference” to businesses.
The Prime Minister will first meet his most senior Cabinet colleagues and hear expert
A leading theatre director has predicted the panto season “won’t happen” this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic as decisions over the fate of some of Scotland’s biggest festive productions loom.
Former National Theatre director Sir Nicholas Hytner said the entire arts sector was “on the brink of ruin” following the closure of venues.
He also warned that even a reduction of social distancing to 1m would not keep the industry financially stable.
Mr Hytner told the BBC’S Andrew Marr Show that the industry needed “unprecedented and immediate” investment.
He said: “This is the time of year when theatres have to start spending on their Christmas shows, it has to start now, and nobody can do that at the moment because there’s been no box office for the last three months, so there’s no cash.
“At the moment panto season won’t happen, whatever happens to the pandemic between now and Christmas.
“Panto season is when entire families go to the theatre and when theatres make the money that sustains them through the rest of the year.”
His comments came as the King’s Theatre in Edinburgh is expected to decide within weeks whether to shelve its Sleeping Beauty panto, starring Allan Stewart, Andy Gray, and Grant Stott, which is due to open on 28 November.
Eden Court in Inverness is reported to be deciding on its Cinderella show within the next three weeks, which could be crucial for the venue’s future. The Macrobert Arts Centre in Stirling has already postponed its Maw Goose panto to next year. The Tron Theatre in Glasgow has done likewise with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The Lyceum in Edinburgh has postponed The Snow Queen until 2021.
Julie Ellen, the Macrobert’s artistic director, said: “Postponement will leave us depleted but to proceed without all our audience members being able to fully participate risks everything – unbearable financial loss and the loss of true community spirit.”
Joyce Mcmillan, theatre critic of The Scotsman, said: “For most theatres in Britain, including almost all theatres in Scotland, the Christmas season accounts for between 25 and 50 per cent of annual box office income.
“No theatre would ever cancel Christmas if it had any other option. The loss of that huge slice of annual income is enough in itself to ensure most theatres will be insolvent and facing closure by February or March next year – unless there is a government bailout, at both UK and Scottish level, that fully recognises the impossibility of staging viable and satisfying live performance under pandemic conditions, and extends support for theatre and live arts, and those who work in those industries, at least until the spring.”
Iain Munro, chief executive of funding body Creative Scotland, said: “Panto season draws millions of people to theatres across Scotland.
“Planning for these shows takes many months and the season is crucially important for some theatres’ budgets.
“Much will depend on how quickly theatres are able to regain the confidence of audiences to reinstate income lost once lockdown eases.
“Creative Scotland’s absolute priority is working with Scottish Government and our partner agencies to protect the sector’s future, which is so vital to the well-being and prosperity of the country.”
“Theatres have to start spending on their Christmas shows and nobody can do that because there’s been no box office for the last three months”
SIR NICHOLAS HYTNER
THEATRE DIRECTOR