MENU
Franchise - Find franchise Opportunities in the UK, Point Franchise
0
Empty
basket
  • Home
  • Account
  • Franchises by Region, County or City
    • Franchise opportunities by Region
    • Franchise opportunities by County
    • Franchise opportunities by Town / City
  • Franchises by Sectors
    • Business & B2B Services
    • Car & Automotive
    • Cleaning
    • Estate Agency & Property
    • Finance
    • Food
    • Franchise Services
    • Gym, Sport & Beauty
    • Home Based
    • Home Improvement & Construction
    • IT, High-Tech & Online
    • Master Franchise
    • Personal & Home Care Services
    • Pet
    • Restaurant, Coffee Shop & Pub
    • Retail & Stores
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Van Based
    • All sectors and industries
  • Franchises by Investment
    • Low-cost franchises
    • Franchises under £10K
    • Franchises under £20K
    • Franchises under £30K
    • Franchises under £40K
    • Franchises under £50K
    • Franchises under £100K
    • Franchises under £150K
    • Franchises under £200K
    • Franchises over £200K
  • Franchise Directory
  • Franchise Opportunities
    • Best Franchises
    • Most Profitable Franchises
    • New Franchises
  • Franchise News & Articles
    • Franchise News
    • Franchise Articles
    • Dictionary
    • Interviews
  • Franchise Experts
    • Latest articles from our experts
    • Our experts
  • Franchisor Area
    • Get your franchise listed for free
    • Advertise
  • Articles
  • Trends
  • Sector Trends
  • Sector Spotlight: The Theatre Sector Gets Ready for a Post-Covid Comeback

Sector Spotlight: The Theatre Sector Gets Ready for a Post-Covid Comeback

Share:
Published on 15/06/2021 16:00:00

Running a franchise in the theatre sector hasn’t been easy during COVID-19. Even now, many theatres are still forced to remain shut. The industry has been hit hard by the pandemic, but the end of social contact restrictions is finally in sight. How is the theatre sector preparing for its post-COVID comeback?


As a theatre franchisee, you’ll be able to run your own business without the high risks of starting something new from scratch. You’ll be supported by your franchisor every step of the way. The country is moving slowly out of uncertainty, and the theatre sector is about to burst into life and action. If you have a passion for performing arts, and you want to help revitalise the industry post-pandemic, then an investment in the theatre sector might be the perfect choice.

How will theatre businesses make a comeback post-COVID?

In late February, the government announced its roadmap out of lockdown, aiming to reopen the economy and bring normality back to people’s lives. From May 17th, some large events have been allowed to take place at 50% capacity. Originally, restrictions were due to end completely on June 21st. Now, the date for the final removal of restrictions has been pushed to July 19th, and with the vaccine programme still proceeding at an incredible rate, some sort of normality is still very much within reach. In order to keep people safe, the government currently requires all UK businesses to:

  • Complete COVID-19 risk assessments 

  • Clean their premises regularly and thoroughly

  • Ask people to wear face coverings in any indoor space

  • Ask people to maintain social distancing 

  • Partake in the NHS Test and Trace system

  • Turn away any customers or staff members with COVID symptoms

For those within the performing arts sector, further guidelines state that businesses must:

  • Provide adequate ventilation whenever people are in enclosed spaces together

  • Design their production processes to minimise risk as far as possible

  • Take proactive steps to encourage audiences to support the safety of the event 

  • Limit audience numbers and manage capacity to allow for social distancing 

  • Make sure they are are familiar with the seven Inclusive Principles for Arts and Cultural organisations

>> Read more:

  • Looking Back: Franchising Lessons We Never Expected to Learn in 2020
  • Everything You Need To Know About The New Government COVID Roadmap On Covid-19
  • Business Planning: Why You Should Prepare for a Profitable Summer Now
  • What the 'Lockdown Exit Roadmap' Means for Your Franchise With One Month to Go
  • 7 Franchising Lessons Learned a Year Into the Pandemic

Customer demand ahead of the theatre sector comeback 

Customer demand ahead of the theatre sector’s return is sky high. The theatre has always been a popular British pastime - the annual London theatre audience reached a cumulative total of 15.3 million in 2019 [Society of London Theatre]. Now, after so long away, many can’t wait to get back in the stalls. For the theatre sector, meeting that demand will be the next and biggest hurdle.

In March 2020, many theatres were forced to abruptly close their doors, and very few of them have been allowed to reopen since. Lots of people working in the theatre industry have been made redundant during the pandemic. In August 2020, for example, job losses jumped from 3,000 to 5,000 a month [Bectu]. Financially, many theatres and theatre-focused franchises have a hole to climb out of. There’s been experimentation, there’s been outdoor performance, but there’s been nothing close to the revenue of an average year in theatre.

Things are starting to look up as restrictions ease, and the government recently announced that £257 million was being put towards saving 1,385 theatres, art venues, museums and cultural organisations across England. In 2021, those in the theatre industry are just about beginning to feel tentatively hopeful about the future. And the high customer demand, with many shows sold out far in advance, is definitely driving that hope.

We didn’t have major stars in our shows. [When we were selling tickets for] the Les Misérables concert, I bet Cameron Mackintosh he’d sell out the entire run in 48 hours. I lost that bet, because they sold out in 24 hours! But we didn’t have those big names, so it really meant a lot that we sold so well too. It told us that audiences want to come back.
—Nica Burns, Nimax Theatres


>> Read more:

  • Franchising 101: The Complete Guide to Franchise Costs in the UK
  • Franchising 101: How to Buy a Franchise Business in 10 Steps
  • Franchising 101: The Official Franchise Start Up Checklist (Part 1)
  • Franchising 101: Top 5 Qualities of a Franchisee
  • Franchising 101: 6 Tips for Building Customer Loyalty Through Marketing
  • Franchising 101: The Pros and Cons of Franchising Your Business
  • Franchising 101: 6 Top Contributors of Franchise Failure

Theatre sector trends amid the UK reopening

The theatre industry adapted wherever it could during the COVID-19 pandemic, from hosting performances online to holding them at outdoor venues. Some theatre companies will have found their niche in these areas, and will keep up the good work long into the future. Others will be happily returning to the indoor, in-person stage in late 2021, with many big shows having announced their hopeful return, including:

  • Cinderella 

  • Frozen 

  • Anything Goes

  • Sister Act

  • Tina: The Tina Turner Musical 

  • Hamilton 

  • Dear Evan Hansen

  • Harry Potter and the Cursed Child 

During the pandemic, in which everyone was forced to pause, there was an opportunity to address deeper industry issues and the need for certain systemic changes to occur. As a result, one of the biggest trends in the theatre sector right now is an increased focus on inclusivity and diversity. 

It won’t happen overnight but I think one good thing to come out of our theatres being closed for the last year is that there has been a real drive to implement important structural changes. We are finally going to see more communities from different backgrounds being represented not only on stage, but behind the scenes too.
—Iqbal Khan, Box Clever Theatre Company/Birmingham Rep

What government support is still available for businesses in the theatre industry?

Many theatre companies and franchises will still be feeling the impact of the pandemic, particularly in a financial sense. If your business needs help, a range of government support schemes are still on offer, including:

  • The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (open until September 2021)

  • The Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme

  • The VAT Deferral New Payment Scheme (open until the 21st June 2021)

  • Business rates holiday for the 2020 to 2021 tax year covering retail, hospitality and leisure companies in England

  • The Recovery Loan Scheme

  • The Covid-19 Corporate Financing Facility

  • The Coronavirus Restart Grant

  • The Coronavirus Additional Restrictions Grant

  • The Local Restrictions Support Grants

Running a theatre business hasn’t been easy during the COVID-19 pandemic

It’s not been an easy year, but with the public just as desperate as the sector to get the lights back on, theatres will be packed out with people as soon as they’re able to be. If you’re interested in investing in a theatre franchise, it’s a great time to get on board, and plenty of opportunities are available, especially in theatre education, where you could make a real difference and turn a solid profit.

Lily Sweeney, Point Franchise ©

>> Read more articles on the Entertainment sector

Laser Clinics franchise Laser Clinics
Min. investment £100,000
Gym, Sport & Beauty
Request
information
RAISON Home franchise RAISON Home
Min. investment £10,000
Home Improvement & Construction
Request
information
The Flatman Partnership franchise The Flatman Partnership
Min. investment £10,000
Estate Agency & Property
Request
information
Tubz Vending franchise Tubz Vending
Min. investment £3,995 +VAT
Retail & Stores
Request
information
FASTSIGNS franchise FASTSIGNS
Min. investment £36,000
Business & B2B Services
Request
information
These articles may interest you

2022 Outlook: State of Franchising in the Property Management Sector

Property management is a thriving and competitive sector. From being [...]

Article published on 10/04/2022 08:00

2022 Outlook: The State of Franchising in the Burger Sector

If you’ve always dreamed of running your own business and [...]

Article published on 29/03/2022 08:00

2022 Outlook: The State of Franchising in the Recruitment Sector

The past few years have been transformative for many industries, and the [...]

Article published on 07/03/2022 16:00

Top 4 Frozen Yogurt Franchises in the UK

If you’re a business-minded entrepreneur with an undeniable sweet [...]

Article published on 27/04/2022 16:00
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Q&A: Does Street Greek Franchise in the UK?

If you’re a feta-loving, souvlaki-scoffing Greek food connoisseur [...]

Article published on 26/04/2022 10:00
BRAND FOCUS

Top 3 Salad Bar Franchises in the UK

If you’re an entrepreneurial person who dreams of running your own [...]

Article published on 25/04/2022 16:00
TOP FRANCHISES
Did you enjoy this article? Please rate this article
Be the first to rate this article
Newsletter Envelope

Did you enjoy this article?
Subscribe to our newsletter!

Receive up-to-date industry news, in-depth articles and the newest franchise opportunities directly to your inbox.

0 Comments

Still no comment for this article. Be the first to publish a comment!

Post a comment

Characters remaining: 250

Top 5 recruiting sectors
  • Business & B2B Services Franchises
  • Estate Agency & Property Franchises
  • Gym, Sport & Beauty Franchises
  • Home Improvement & Construction Franchises
  • Travel & Leisure Franchises
Top 5 franchise opportunities
  • Franchise Acacia Homecare Acacia Homecare Franchise
  • Franchise Blossom Home Care Blossom Home Care Franchise
  • Franchise Full Circle Funerals Partners Full Circle Funerals Partners Franchise
  • Franchise GoliathTech GoliathTech Franchise
  • Franchise Greensleeves Greensleeves Franchise
Top 5 recruiting cities
  • 1 Birmingham
  • 2 Bristol
  • 3 Glasgow
  • 4 Leeds
  • 5 Manchester
Franchises by
minimum investment
Low-cost franchises Franchises under £10K Franchises under £20K Franchises under £30K Franchises under £40K Franchises under £50K Franchises under £100K Franchises under £150K Franchises under £200K Franchises over £200K
Latest News
  • TaxAssist Accountants - ADAPTING TO THE NEW NORMAL: TAXASSIST ACCOUNTANTS VIRTUAL...
  • The Zip Yard - THE ZIP YARD OPENS ALTERATIONS SERVICES IN 3 TESCO STORES
  • ChipsAway - CHIPSAWAY DRIVES ADVERTISING TO THE HIGHEST GEAR WITH A...
  • Optic-Kleer - Big News from the Optic-Kleer franchise.
  • TaxAssist Accountants - 3 TaxAssist Accountants franchisees celebrate 15 years...
Newsletter Envelope

Did you enjoy this article?
Subscribe to our newsletter!

Receive up-to-date industry news, in-depth articles and the newest franchise opportunities directly to your inbox.

Find your franchise
  • UK Franchise Directory
  • Best Franchises
  • New Franchises
  • Most Profitable Franchises
  • Dictionary
  • Interviews
  • Checklist
Our top guides
  • Franchise for Sale
  • Franchise Definition
  • Starting a Franchise
  • What is a Franchisee?
  • What is a Franchisor?
  • Franchise Agreement
  • Franchise Shows and Exhibitions
Are you a franchisor?
  • Advertise your franchise with us
Subscribe to our newsletter
Useful links
  • About us
  • Privacy policy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact us
  • Consent notices
  • Terms and conditions
  • Disclaimer
  • Our writers
Follow us
Infopro Digital
✕
point franchises newsletter

Keep up to date with the franchise industry