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Short breaks market awaits impact of Apollo Theatre collapse
There are fears the theatre breaks market could be damaged in the aftermath of the Apollo Theatre collapse.
Police say 80 people were injured – seven seriously – when part of the ceiling caved in 40 minutes into a performance last night.
Nimax Theatres, which owns the Apollo, described the collapse as a "shocking and upsetting incident", but one theatre critic told Sky News was "an accident waiting to happen".
He said many West End theatres are in need of repair and said not enough money from ticket sales was going into infrastructure.
In the short-term, there are fears the market for West End breaks will be hit.
One travel agent who sells theatre packages said: "People will try to tell you this will have no impact on sales, but in my opinion, they’re wrong. It’s worrying. You can’t blame people for thinking twice about booking a theatre break after seeing reports of the carnage on TV."
Theatre breaks specialist, Superbreak, issued a statement saying: "Superbreak would like to extend it sympathy to all those involved in the incident at the Apollo Theatre.
"The operator had no customers booked on its theatre break packages to see Curious Incident last night. The contact centre is fully briefed this morning and it is business as usual.
"Performances of Curious Incident have been cancelled on Friday 20 and Saturday 21 December and Supebreak will contact ticket holders for these performances to arrange exchanges or refunds."
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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