West End confirms closure until at least August

The West End will remain closed until "at least" the 2 August.

The Society of London Theatre (SOLT) today stated in its release that this does not mean theatres will reopen on Monday 3 August, and that further cancellations would be announced on a rolling basis.

While acknowledging that shows will likely reopen at different times, the organisation also said it was working closely with the government to make sure that venues can reopen safely and smoothly.

The West End immersive production of The Great Gatsby recently announced it plans to recommence performances in October, with social distancing measures in place.

The government has yet to announce any further details on how venues might reopen or when lockdown measures regarding social distancing might be eased.

Read the full statement here:

London's West End looks forward to welcoming audiences back into our theatres. We are working closely with the government to explore ways in which we can safely reopen.

To give our customers clarity and help us operationally, we have been cancelling performances across the West End on a rolling month by month basis since the start of lockdown.

Every show is now extending cancellations until Sunday 2 August, certain shows may decide to extend this cancellation period and producers will make their own statement as appropriate for their shows.

Ticketholders for affected performances do not need to do anything. They will be contacted by the organisation from which they bought their tickets to arrange a refund, credit note or exchange for a later date.

This does not mean theatres will reopen on 3 August; and further cancellations will continue to be announced on a rolling basis. The decision to reopen theatres will be made based on government and scientific advice on gatherings and events. Different theatres and productions are likely to reopen at different times.

We are grateful to customers for the continued patience and kindness they are showing during this challenging time for our industry. With 300,000 people visiting West End theatres in a normal week, it remains a major undertaking to process refunds, exchanges and credit notes, particularly when many staff are working remotely. Please rest assured that we are all working as quickly as we can, and we appreciate the continued support and understanding of our audiences.