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Two in Five Small Theatres in the UK Could Face Closure

Concern is growing about dwindling audiences as the cost-of-living crisis intensifies

Dec. 08, 2022  
Two in Five Small Theatres in the UK Could Face Closure
Finbourough Theatre

Two in five small theatres in the UK could face closure as energy costs soar and Christmas sales tank.

According to a new study by GoDaddy and the Society of Independent Theatres, three quarters of independent theatres - those with fewer than 300 seats - say their ticket sales have still not returned to pre-Covid levels.

Most small theatres hope to generate around 25 per cent of their revenue for the year during the festive period.

Christmas sales are set to drop by around a third this year against pre-pandemic levels, with just 40% of people expecting to support their local venue's festive production, compared to 60% who did so in 2019. Three in five (61%) people say they have had to cut back on cultural activities due to the cost-of-living crisis.

Three quarters (75 per cent) of venues say customers are buying fewer tickets, and four in five (88 per cent) are concerned for their long-term future.

Seven in ten (71%) Brits visited an independent theatre in 2019, a number which falls to 57% in 2022.

Photo Credit: Doug Mackie



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From This Author - Aliya Al-Hassan

Aliya Al-Hassan is UK Managing Editor of BroadwayWorld. A London-based theatre critic and journalist, she has a life-long passion for the arts, with a focus on theatre and opera. She is a... (read more about this author)


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