Coronavirus: London’s West End To Remain Closed Until May 31 At Earliest

Click here to read the full article.

London’s theatre district the West End will remain shuttered until at least May 31 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Society of London Theatre (SOLT), the industry body that represents West End theaters, issued an update this morning UK time.

More from Deadline

• Showbiz Stocks Surge From Theater Chains To Broadcasters On Glimmer Of Market Hope Pandemic Is Running Its Course

• Coping With COVID-19 Crisis: A3 Artists Agency's James Murray On Voice Actors Adapting To The Unprecedented

• NBCUniversal Is Reducing Commercials As Advertisers Scale Back And Shift Messaging; Hello, Family Movie Night With Limited Ads

SOLT said in a statement: “We are now cancelling all performances up until and including 31 May 2020 to help us process existing bookings whilst we wait for further clarity from the government in terms of when we will be able to reopen. We are so sorry that in these testing and difficult times you are not able to enjoy the show you have booked for and hope the following helps clarify next steps in respect of your tickets. There is nothing that you need to do if your performance has been cancelled, but we do ask for your patience. If you have booked directly with the theatre or show website for an affected performance, please be assured that they will contact you directly to arrange an exchange for a later date, a credit note/voucher or a refund. If you have booked via a ticket agent they will also be in contact with you directly.”

The Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) announced on Friday that all its theaters will remain closed through May and Cameron Mackintosh’s Delfont Mackintosh group announced that its eight venues would follow suit.

The closures, which began on March 16, impact dozens of high-profile shows including Wicked, The Lion King, The Woman In Black, Hamilton, The Mousetrap, The Book Of Mormon and Mary Poppins.

Some are sending content online so fans can get their fix. Andrew Lloyd Webber last week launched a new YouTube channel devoted to the composer’s work.

The UK remains in the grip of the coronavirus crisis with close to 50,000 cases so far and almost 5,000 deaths. The country is currently in the third of a three-week lockdown, which most expect to be extended.

Best of Deadline

• Coronavirus: New York & U.S. Post Worst Single-Day Death Tolls; Global Cases At 1.07 Million - Update

• Coronavirus: Movies That Have Halted Or Delayed Production Amid Outbreak

• Hong Kong Filmart Postponed Due To Coronavirus Fears; Event Moves Two Weeks Before Toronto

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.