A new report has been published today (Thursday 3 February) raising awareness of the specific needs of London’s historic theatres and their role as a vital asset to the city’s night time economy, central to pandemic recovery. ‘A Call to Action – Securing the future of London’s theatres’ sets out the unique operational and access requirements of the London theatre industry and calls for better collaboration between theatre operators and those responsible for London’s public realm, highways and land usage, to protect the invaluable cultural heritage that has been part of London’s identity for over 350 years.
Due to the Covid-19 crisis and temporary closures of theatres, 57% of small theatres in the UK could fail without government support. Theatres Trust warns that as many as 136 small local theatre operators could go into administration in the next three months. In response, Theatres Trust has announced a package of additional support for small theatres to help them survive the impact of Covid-19.
Small Victoria Hall.
“Theatres are one of the few buildings left in communities where people can come together whatever their age, ethnicity or class”. A sentiment shared by many within the theatre community and expressed by Architecture Adviser of the Theatres Trust, Claire Appleby. Founded in 1976, the Theatres Trust have worked to ensure ‘that current and future generations have access to good quality theatres where they can be inspired by, and enjoy, live performance. We champion the future of live performance, by protecting and supporting excellent theatre buildings which meet the needs of their communities’. For the past 12 years, the charity have also looked to support theatres they deem to be ‘at risk’ – these theatres featuring on their ‘Theatres at Risk Register’. This year’s list has been announced and Claire discusses what it takes to supporting and protect these valuable buildings.
What’s great about the UK in terms of theatre is that there is a wealth of shows to watch, and in a range of settings. We celebrate theatre, and support a range of venues, whether it be fringe theatre or larger scale theatres. The Theatre’s Trust is a leading advisory body for the sustainability of theatre in the UK, priding itself on the protection and preservation of UK theatres. The trust are also responsible for publishing the Theatre Buildings at Risk Register, informing the public of buildings that are deemed as being under threat from closure. Theatrefullstop were able to speak to the Theatre’s Trust to find out more about the trust.