The Gaiety Theatre in Ayr has suspended all operations from tomorrow (Tuesday 17th March 2020) in order to avoid contributing to the spread of Coronavirus, and in line with the UK and Scottish Government advice.
A statement issued this evening by Ayr Gaiety said:
"This action is a critical threat to The Gaiety and to the livelihoods of all those who work in the arts. Most of The Gaiety's funding comes from people like you, coming to see our performances. Without these performances, the vast majority of our income is gone.
"But we do not believe that it is practical or responsible for us to stage shows while people's lives are at risk. We are determined to survive, to retain our dedicated team, and to get our shows back on track as soon as possible. So we need your help urgently. The Gaiety Theatre is a registered charity, and any donation - large or small - will ensure that our theatre stays thriving, long after this crisis is past.
"We plan to relaunch in September and to stage a fantastic 'Sleeping Beauty' for this year's pantomime. In the meantime we will be rescheduling all shows planned to take place between now and the end of August and we will get in touch with affected ticket-holders shortly. Our Ticket Desk will NOT be open for the time being and we will not be able to answer calls or respond on social media. This is so that we can get in touch with customers as quickly as possible - not because we don't want to talk to you.
"Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible. We hope you will wish to return when the theatre reopens so we'll be offering you options to:
A) Keep your tickets for the new date (once we have them); or
B) Turn your ticket purchase into a donation; or
C) Turn your purchase into a credit you can use for other shows
"We'll let you know as soon as we have more information. In the meantime please take care of yourself, you friends and family. The Gaiety Team."