Theatres could reopen in the spring: Oliver Dowden pushes for ‘not before’ date in March or April

Theatres could be allowed to reopen with full audiences next spring, the Culture Secretary suggested yesterday.

Oliver Dowden told MPs it was not possible to give a firm date for reopening without social distancing ‘because of where we are with the disease right now’. 

But he is pushing for a ‘not before’ date in March or April to give producers time to plan.

He added the Government was also preparing ‘pilots for if we are at the point where we get mass testing… so people can go to the theatre without social distancing’.

 Mr Dowden defended the London Palladium over controversy about recent performances.

A musical called Songs For A New World was held at the venue owned by the theatre impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber on Sunday, while on Monday night it hosted an event to promote the new book by football manager Arsene Wenger.

Photographs on social media appeared to suggest seating was not socially distanced enough.

But Mr Dowden suggested he had no problem with the performances, saying: ‘We are looking at how we organise theatre so that social distancing has a minimal impact, you will have seen those images, some people slightly concerned about at The London Palladium but it does demonstrate it is possible to have high numbers of people.

‘It is subject to where we are with the public health.’

The London Palladium has said it was operating ‘fully in line’ with government guidance.