CORONAVIRUS UPDATE Wednesday,   6   January   2021   -   Further   closure   of   the theatre. Due to the latest national lockdown announcement, sadly the theatre will remain closed until 1st April 2021. We very much look forward to resuming our 2021 programme as soon as possible and would like to thank our patrons, volunteers and friends for their continued support, patience and hard work throughout these incredibly difficult times. If you hold tickets for a future performance please bear with us and refrain from contacting the box office; if your show is affected we will contact you. Please stay safe and we look forward to welcoming you again soon. Saturday,    31    October    2020    -    Temporary    closure    of the theatre. Following this evening’s announcement we will sadly be closing the theatre from Monday 2 November until Thursday 3 December . On government advice, our offices will also be closed. If you have tickets booked for any event that was due to take place during this time, we ask that you do not contact us , instead wait for us to get in touch with you. If you do have to contact us, we ask that you only do so via email as, due to high volumes, we are unable to answer box office telephone enquiries at this time. We do share your disappointment and frustration but the safety and enjoyment of our friends and patrons will always be our main priority and we thank everyone for their support and patience at this difficult time. Stay safe and well and we look forward to welcoming you back soon. Please note that tickets are still on sale for our big Christmas production, THE WIZARD OF OZ and all subsequent performances in 2021. Tickets can be purchased online. The situation is changing fast, but up-to-date information can be found on the gov.uk website . Friday, 18 September 2020 - NHS Test and Trace. To help reduce the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19), the Theatre are legally required to record the contact details of all Patrons, for NHS Test and Trace purposes. If a Patron does not wish to share this information, they will be refused entry in to the Theatre. It is important for us to all work together to stop the spread of coronavirus and the main way we can do this is through prevention by social distancing, the use of face coverings, and washing your hand regularly. Saturday, 12 September 2020 - Bookings of six people. From Monday 14 September, the UK Government have made changes which may have an impact on your booking. Unfortuntalely the Theatre will no longer be able to accept booking of over six people, unless: a/ They are members of the same household (i.e. family with over six people living in the same household). b/ They are part of a household support bubble (i.e. a single person with a family). If booking for a larger family group, this will need to be done by telephoning the box office on 01708 755775. Groups of more than six people cannot currently be booked online. Whilst in the theatre you are not permitted to join together in groups largr than six either indoors or outdoors. Find out more about the new law here. Friday, 28 August 2020 - Reopening the theatre. With the reopening of the theatre, patrons will be required to adhere to the following guidelines and expected to take responsibility for not only their welfare but that of others. 1. The Theatre will practise enhanced cleaning regimes and all areas of the theatre will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between performances, using professional ULV Foggers, Handheld Nano units and a BS EN 1276 approved disinfectant. 2. In full support of the NHS’ Test and Trace policy, Patrons will be required to perform a temperature check prior to entering the Theatre and asked to register their contact information participate in the Theatre’s Track & Track. The QR code to access this will be on display throughout the foyer. Any person who fails the temperature check will be offered a credit note on their account to the value of their ticket. If booking on the door, Patrons will be required to provide their contact details. 3. In terms of Social Distancing and for your comfort and convenience, the Theatre has reduced the maximum seating capacity in order to reduce congestion in identified areas. We have implemented new socially distanced seating to ensure a safe distance between customers from different households or support bubbles. Patrons are asked to sit only in the seats purchased and ensure that this distancing is observed at all times. It may also be necessary to introduce barriers in the Foyer to control queuing within the Theatre. 4. Any Patron feeling unwell or displaying any symptom(s) of Covid-19 prior to attending the theatre, should not attend for any reason. Should you feel unwell during your visit, please advise one of our Volunteers immediately. 5. As of 08/08/20 it is a legal requirement for Patrons to wear a face masks when attending the Theatre. Of course, these can be removed when eating or drinking. Should you be exempt from the wearing of a face mask, you may be asked to provide evidence of exemption. 6. A Hand Sanitizer Station will be positioned near the entrance of the theatre and its use will be actively encouraged. 7. Patrons will be asked not to congregate in the Foyer following a Performance. If waiting for a Performer / Cast Member(s) following a performance, you will be asked to wait outside. The Theatre have advised against the taking of photographs and the collecting of autographs. 8. Patrons are encouraged to bring as few personal items with them as possible. 9. While the Theatre will continue to offer refreshments and merchandise, hot drinks are not available at the present time. 10. Please be respectful of our staff, volunteers and other patrons during this difficult time. Thank you for your cooperation and patience during this unprecedented time and we look forward to welcoming you back to the Brookside Theatre in the near future. Should you have any further questions, please email coronavirus@brooksidetheatre.com. Monday, 16 March 2020 - Important Notice. In direct response to the Prime Minister's statement and recent official government advice, we regret to announce that the Brookside Theatre will be closed, effective immediately, and events until the end of April, rescheduled - the safety and well- being of our patrons and volunteers being of paramount importance. We will be in touch with all affected, in the near future, to advise on the next steps but ask, in the meantime, that patrons refrain from contacting the box office unless absolutely necessary. Please rest assured that we are working as quickly as possible to put appropriate steps in place. Given the current ambiguity and lack of clarify regarding the situation, we will endeavor to post further updates as more information is known. For now, we thank you all for your understanding and patience at this difficult time and please stay safe and well. Jai Sepple BEM (Artistic Director) Brookside Theatre Saturday, 14 March 2020 Further to the announcements made by the UK government on 12.3.20 we can confirm that at this stage we have no plans to cancel any of our events at the Brookside Theatre. As the UK has now moved from the 'Containment' to 'Delay' phase, we are very closely monitoring advice from the government and the World Health Organisation regarding precautions on coronavirus (Covid-19). We will continue to implement appropriate health and safety precautions in the best interests of our staff, volunteers and visitors. Our staff and volunteers have been instructed on best practice, and we would like to advise all visitors to follow the same advice as follows: * Wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds * Always wash your hands when you get home or into work * Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available * Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze * Put used tissues in the bin straight away and wash your hands afterwards * Try to avoid close contact with people who are unwell * Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean If you feel unwell (a new continuous cough OR a temperature of 37.8 degrees or above) stay home, isolate and visit https://111.nhs.uk/service/covid-19 or call 111 for advice Please note we are unable to issue refunds unless we are instructed to cancel events or close the venue by the UK government or our local authority. We will provide updates if the current situation changes. Consult the Public Health England website for the latest and most current information and advice Thank you for your understanding.