Old materials 'principal cause' of Apollo ceiling collapse, says Council

Westminster Council has indicated that ancient building materials were the "principal cause" of the Apollo Theatre ceiling collapse in December, which injured over 70 theatregoers.

The Council has issued a letter to all major West End theatre owners warning them that ties made of hessian wadding and plaster of Paris, such as those used in the Apollo ceiling, are dangerous and need to be replaced.

A spokesperson for the Council said: "Our investigation is still ongoing, however our inquiry to date has led us to understand why the ceiling at the Apollo Theatre failed in December. The principal cause was the deterioration over time of wadding ties which supported the ceiling, thought to be in place since its construction in 1901."

The Grade II-listed Apollo, which was hosting the National Theatre's award-winning production The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time when the incident occurred on 19 December, is due to reopen this week (26 March) with Let the Right One In.

"Theatregoers can be reassured that, as a precaution, we are working closely with the Society of London Theatre to roll-out this guidance across the theatre community," the spokesperson added.

"Although all historic ceilings are in some way unique, our guidance outlines what precautions owners can take to ensure the safety of this ornate plasterwork, including thorough checks of suspended ceilings of a similar construction in order to preserve the unique heritage of our great London theatres and historic buildings."

The final report into the causes of the ceiling collapse will be issued later in the year. Nimax, which owns the Apollo, has declined to comment at this stage.