'Great news': Theatre pressing ahead with reopening plans
The Marina Theatre in Lowestoft. Picture: Mick Howes - Credit: Mick Howes
A coastal theatre is pressing ahead with plans to reopen next week.
The Marina Theatre in Lowestoft has been busy preparing for its first screening event since March, as they were due to reopen its auditorium on November 6.
But after temporarily closing its doors amid the continuing coronavirus crisis and this month's national lockdown, the theatre will now be reopening under tier two restrictions next week.
The theatre’s chief executive, Emma Butler Smith, said: "With the news that Suffolk is in tier two, we are pleased to announce that we will be reopening our café and box office on Wednesday, December 2.
"We also plan to go ahead with our film and screening programme.
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"Tier two means we can open the café from 10am next Wednesday morning as planned and we will be able to run our schedule of films and screenings from Thursday, December 3.
"Back in October, when we were open before, we made sure we did everything we could to help people feel safe while they were with us and we are confident this will continue once we reopen.
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"Being able to reopen is great news.
"We didn’t want to shut and it was somewhat frustrating to have to do so when it was going so well.
"We are all now champing at the bit to welcome our loyal and supportive customers back in next week."
The Marina's first screening in almost nine months will see Katherine Jenkins: A Christmas Spectacular showcased on Thursday, December 3.
Of the tier two guidelines in place from next week, the theatre's chief executive added: "Obviously the changes do affect us a bit.
"Our capacity for ticketed events will be detrimentally affected, as will our café capacity.
"However, we want to concentrate on the positive - being able to offer the people of Lowestoft a place to go to enjoy themselves.
"We have some great films on in December and our café will have a delicious winter menu.
"As customers can now only come in their household/support bubble, this will mean people will not be able to meet up with their friends in the café or sit together in the auditorium.
"Our box office and sales staff are now working out how we can best deal fairly with these changes for auditorium events.
"We ask ticket holders to bear with us and Marina staff will be in touch shortly."
