One week on from concert venues being allowed to reopen, social distancing means that very few have been able to do so, leading to calls for further government support

By Rhi Storer

“It’s not just the smaller venues that will struggle to reopen with current social distancing measures. “We still don’t know when the rules will be lifted for live performances to include full audiences,” says Louise Halliday, the Royal Albert Hall’s director of external affairs. “The government has told us they’re going to review social distancing rules in November, but the job retention scheme ends in October. That’s a really dangerous gap for our industry.”

She said the one-metre distancing rule means a reduction in the Royal Albert Hall’s capacity to around 36%. Most of its events, with staff costs accounted for, break even at around 80%. “We are trying to plan events and buy all our staff back with no knowledge of when we are going back to normal operations. And if there is a second outbreak, and if we have to close our doors again, we’re not going to be insured. So the risk of putting on events, even when social distancing is lifted, is enormous.”’

Source: The Guardian