FROM next Saturday, many leisure businesses including theatres will be permitted to open their doors to the public once more.

Local theatre and cinema, The Regent Centre Christchurch, will be able to open after three months in lockdown.

However, they have chosen to monitor the situation before deciding to open.

General Manager, Matthew Vass-White outlined how this popular cinema and theatre plans to move forward.

He said: "We are still not sure exactly when we will re-open. We will only do so when we have everything in place required to do so safely and without compromising the spirit of coming to the Regent Centre. Most of our live shows have transferred into 2021 in anticipation of the announcement on June 23 and we are hoping that those still in the diary late this year may still be able to proceed if regulations change again. We are a touring house and so our presenting partners have been able to re tour most of their work and therefore we have not had to cancel much at all. We’ve been lucky in this respect as most of our customers have either exchanged their tickets to new dates or donated them back to us.

"We are currently running at a loss with the building closed and had to refund all of our cinema income but as one of the UK's highest grossing independent cinemas for the last two years, we’re hopefully we can see out the crisis with the continued support of our customers. We as a venue already have extensive plans in place for when the time is right, but as the government are rolling out new guidelines almost daily, we don’t have the most complete picture as yet.

"When we are able to bring our staff back out of furlough, we’ll get the venue ready to receive customers again. This may take a little while as we adapt but we can’t wait to welcome everybody back."

The Prime Minister's announcement has provided a significant boost to the arts sector, with the reduction of the two metre distance to one metre likely to improve the sector even further.

Prior to this change, social-distancing measures were expected to severely impact the profitability of numerous businesses, local and further afield.

Speaking to the House of Commons on Tuesday, June 23, the Prime Minister stated that specific guidance would be given to theatres and other arts venues.

In the meantime, live performances are not permitted but are hoped to be reinstated when safe to do so.