Following official government advice issued on Monday, March 16th, which stipulates that people should avoid public buildings including theatres, The Courtyard in Hereford closed this morning, Tuesday, March 17th.All of their events will also be postponed to help slow the spread of coronavirus, and the theatre will remain closed until further notice.
The venue will look to re-open as soon as possible, following government recommendations.
The Courtyard will be contacting all affected customers, ticket holders and community groups as soon as possible to make arrangements. Customers are asked to bear in mind that customer service teams will be extremely busy and to be patient in this unprecedented time.
As a charity and community venue, The Courtyard are asking customers to consider donating the cost of the ticket, or ask for a credit to use at a later date, rather than requesting a refund where possible to show support for the organisation.
Ian Archer, Chief Executive of The Courtyard, told the Ross Gazette: “Closing is not a decision taken lightly, and we know it will have a severe impact on the many people working with us. We’re in an unprecedented situation and our community’s safety is all that matters. We understand that it is not practical or responsible for us to host events while people’s lives are at risk.
"We are extremely grateful to all of our audiences who have continued to support us for as long as they can, and to all of our theatre staff and volunteers who have worked tirelessly since the outbreak to ensure the safety of visitors.
"We are asking customers to consider donating the cost of the ticket, or to take a credit to use at a later date, rather than requesting a refund where possible. We realise not everyone will be in a position to do this, but we’re also hoping, that when all this is over, we’ll be able to open our doors to entertain you once again.”
Over the coming weeks, The Courtyard will continue to provide updates as the situation changes, working from current government and NHS advice.