Harrogate Theatre puts audience safety first as arts revival gets into full swing

Harrogate Theatre wants to put the safety and comfort of audiences first as it joins the reopening of the arts sector with a series of new shows with measures including Covid passports.
As capacity restrictions are lifted and more events start to take place, Harrogate Theatre wants to ensure audience members feel secure and comfortable attending performances.As capacity restrictions are lifted and more events start to take place, Harrogate Theatre wants to ensure audience members feel secure and comfortable attending performances.
As capacity restrictions are lifted and more events start to take place, Harrogate Theatre wants to ensure audience members feel secure and comfortable attending performances.

As capacity restrictions are lifted and more events start to take place, the iconic theatre’s management wants to ensure audience members feel secure and comfortable attending performances.

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Despite the historic arts hub being closed at the moment as part of a £1million replacement project for its 121-year-old roof, its new events programme sees it reaching out to the community in different venues.

Keen to move forward in safe way, Harrogate Theatre has now updated its terms and conditions to protect customers and its own staff as shows and concerts restart in Harrogate.

As a result, theatre management is requesting that for all performances:

Audience members bring with them proof of double-vaccination or a recent negative lateral flow test or natural immunity via an Antibodies Test.

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Proof of full vaccination can be presented via the NHS Covid Pass within the NHS App, or internationally recognised equivalent or in physical form via an NHS Covid Pass letter or a vaccination card.

Alternatively, audience members can resent proof of a negative Lateral Flow Test via the NHS Covid App or a text message or email from the NHS Test and Trace taken within 48 hours of performance time.

Among the many highlights of Harrogate Theatre’s current #RaiseTheRoof season, which ranges from dance to comedy, is Our Gate devised by Rachael Halliwell.

This epic community play set in multiple locations in Harrogate town centre will see 35 community participants working alongside five professional performers in combination with Youth Theatre members and Harrogate Homeless Theatre Project.

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Hopes are high that the work on the replacement roof will be completed in time for the return of the arts highlight of Harrogate’s entire festive season - the theatre’s hugely popular family panto.

All being well, Harrogate Theatre is expected to re-open in November with Cinderella set to run from November 24 to January 16.

Ticket bookings are being taken and many seats have already been snapped up for weekend shows, in particular.

Recent months have seen Harrogate Theatre working alongside The Society of London Theatre (SOLT) & UK Theatre’s “See it Safely” campaign guidelines to offer sanitiser, temperature checks and the opportunity, if theatre-goers wish, to check in with an NHS QR code.

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Despite a tough 2020 when it had to close and make some staff redundant, Harrogate Theatre successfully bid for, and won, substantial Arts Council funding as part of the Government’s Cultural Recovery Fund to ensure its future survival for the town.