The following is a statement from the Society Of London Theatre and UK Theatre on the new measures announced by the Government yesterday.
‘We understand the government’s decision to introduce Plan B and are heartened to see amendments have been made to make it easier for our theatres to operate.
‘Theatres remain fully open and will continue to offer much-needed respite from the current challenges, in a safe and ordered environment. We are grateful to all our audiences for their ongoing support.
‘Our industry-wide See it Safely protocols give audiences confidence that a theatre is operating in accordance with the latest official guidelines – as part of these, we have always strongly recommended the wearing of face coverings throughout our buildings, and the government’s move to make them mandatory will help our hardworking Front of House staff keep our venues safe.
‘Although the current NHS Covid pass recommendations do not apply to theatres, it is good to see that the government has included lateral flow test results as part of the pass alongside proof of vaccination – something our industry had been advocating for.
‘Finally, we welcome the news that isolation requirements are to be replaced by daily testing for contacts of people infected by Omicron – this will avoid the disastrous ‘pingdemic’ of the summer and help keep our shows open and our audiences entertained.’