Furlough extended until the end of March 2020

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced that the furlough scheme will be extended.

Jon Morgan, Theatres Trust Director responds:

Theatres Trust welcomes the Chancellor's announcement extending the furlough scheme until the end of March 2021 across the UK. While theatres remain at Stage 4 of the reopening plan, which only allows performances with socially distanced audiences, many will be unable to reopen viably after lockdown is lifted. Additionally for those theatres in areas returning to Tiers 2 and 3 after lockdown, where other night time businesses will be closed and travel severely restricted, reopening will be doubly challenging.  Extending the Job Retention Scheme is a lifeline for theatres and we would like to see it remain in place until Stage 5 when theatres can welcome fuller audiences and reopen viably.

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