Two in five small theatres in the UK fear closure unless they command a strong Christmas season, according to a new study by GoDaddy and the Society of Independent Theatres.
Research conducted among independent theatres – those with fewer than 300 seats – found that almost 80% of smaller venues are hosting festive productions, with 42% staging a traditional Christmas pantomime, but many are concerned about dwindling audiences as the cost-of-living crisis intensifies.
The sector has faced a tough couple of years, with venues were forced to close for long periods of time during the pandemic. Three quarters (75%) of theatres say their ticket sales have still not returned to pre-Covid levels, and most hope to generate around 25% of their revenue for the year during this festive period.
