Theatres throughout London?s West End went dark on Thursday 7 July after the terrorist attacks on the capital?s transport network. In what is believed to be the first complete closure since World War II, all performances in the West End were cancelled with many outer London venues also closing for the evening. Venues re-opened the following day with tightened security and producers are determined to promote a message of business as usual.
However, the industry is anticipating a drop in revenues similar to that felt after the 9/11 attacks in New York which prompted a drop in overseas travel by American tourists. In emergency advice issued to the tourist industry, the Mayor of London?s office said, ?It is inevitable that some visitors to London will decide to cancel or postpone their visit.? Visit London, the tourist authority for the city, also issued a statement: ?It is not possible at this stage to put a figure on the impact of this event on the visitor economy. Currently, the tourism industry is anticipating a short-term drop off in visitor numbers but no overall impact in the long-term. World Tourism Organisation figures show that, despite a temporary dip following the Madrid bombings, full year figures for 2004 show an increase of 11% in the number of international visitors to Madrid.? However, fears about the threat of further violence coupled with the continued strength of sterling relative to other currencies, mean that tourist numbers are very likely to drop, affecting many arts organisations reliant on tourist income. In recent years, West End attendances have been buoyant. According to figures just released by the Society of London Theatre, more than 12 million people attended West End performances last year, a rise of 3.7% on the previous year.
Published: 18-07-2005