Theatres in and around Cambridgeshire are beginning to shut their doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The New Theatre in Peterborough has announced that it will close for the next two weeks, with all performances and events cancelled “for the next four weeks” after the Government ramped up their response to the outbreak yesterday (March 16).
In a statement, the theatre said: “Following the announcement of Government advice recommending that the public avoid all non-essential social gatherings, we have taken the difficult decision to cancel all performances and events scheduled for the next four weeks at the New Theatre Peterborough.
“The venue, including box office, will be closed entirely for at least the next 14 days. This closure will be reviewed on an ongoing basis to take account of updated Government advice, as and when it is announced.
“We realise that this will cause significant disruption, but the wellbeing of our customers, staff and communities must be our priority.
“We appreciate that many of our customers will have questions about bookings and refunds. We would ask that you please bear with us whilst we re-schedule performances where possible.”
The statement added: “In the coming days, please do not attempt to visit our box office (or to call our box office phone numbers) to ask about rescheduling or ticket refunds. Our teams will be in touch with all ticket holders as soon as possible.”
Another of the city’s entertainment venues, The Cresset, has said they are in talks “with event promoters, industry advisors and event organisers” over their upcoming events.
Comedian Milton Jones, who was supposed to be performing at The Cresset later this month, has already postponed his stand-up show.
Other venues and events to be closed or cancelled:
- Cambridge Junction has suspended all its programmes with immediate effect and is closed to the public until the end of April
- Angles Theatre in Wisbech has postponed its shows The Importance of Being Earnest and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
- Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds is closed up to and including April 25
- Alive Corn Exchange and St George’s Guildhall in King’s Lynn has cancelled all shows until April 3
- Cambridge Arts Theatre is temporarily closed and has cancelled all performances of An Inspector Calls from today (Tuesday)
- Ely Cinema and Babylon Gallery is temporarily closed and has paused all cinema screenings with immediate effect
- The Arts Society in Ely has postponed its lecture on March 19, and aim to rearrange for a later date
- The Sutton Beast event in June has been cancelled but are planning to rearrange for a later date
- The Sutton Feast have cancelled all their events until July
- Haddenham Sports and Social Club have suspended their Sunday night sequence, Wednesday night bingo and Friday night bingo sessions until April 14
- The Princess Theatre in Hunstanton has cancelled all shows until May 31
If you would like to share details on any other cancelled entertainment events, please email Daniel.Mason@archant.co.uk.
To get the latest coronavirus updates in Fenland and across Cambridgeshire, visit our Facebook group.
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