West End theaters will be closed beginning Monday night, the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre announced.
The theaters will be closed “until further notice and will re-open as soon as possible,” the theater organization said in a press release Monday. This follows the recommendation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who urged patrons to avoid theaters Monday, but did not order them closed.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo called for all Broadway theaters to close on March 12. The current closure lasts until April 13, however the Center for Disease Control recommended Sunday that all large events be postponed for eight weeks.
“Closing venues is not a decision that is taken lightly, and we know that this will have a severe impact on many of the 290,000 individuals working in our industry. In these uncertain times, SOLT and UK Theatre remain committed to helping provide vital support for those in need, and hope we are able to welcome audiences back to our theatres before too long,” Julian Bird, chief executive of SOLT and UK Theatre, said in a press release.
While ticketholders can receive a refund to cancelled performances, the group urged patrons to consider donating the cost of the ticket to help support the theater industry.
