It’s sure starting to feel as if lockdown is truly beginning to end. With ball park dates provided for a number of prime industries, some of which are the lifeblood of the Scottish economy, the country is hoping to heal from the financial damage caused by the pandemic.
There’s bound to be challenges for a number of these sectors, such as hospitality, retail and tourism, however I wanted to put one of the seemingly forgotten industries in the spotlight – Scottish theatres.
Looking through social media, a viral post caught my eye regarding a survey on what careers people deem the most unnecessary during the COVID-19 lockdown. Artists, actors and musicians topped the list, with an unsurprising backlash from the global industry.
Imagine a lockdown without your favourite Netflix shows and zero Spotify playlists for your workout routine – I certainly can’t. And with an estimated contribution of £4.9 billion to the Scottish economy from creative businesses, it’s clear that the men and women behind the curtains are people we need to be paying attention to.
While the Scottish Government’s announcements shed some light on when cinemas and museums will open, the live performance aspect of Scottish theatre is obviously a more contentious issue in regards to social distancing measures.
Hundreds of theatres across Scotland have reportedly lost up to 90 per cent of their income and huge cultural calendar events such as the Edinburgh Fringe aren’t expected to return until next year at the earliest.
Fiona Gibson, the boss of Edinburgh’s Capital Theatre, stated that despite support from the government furlough scheme, the impact on the sector has been devastating – not helped by curtains raising once again still out of sight.
The tragedies faced by theatres across Scotland is also still barely into the first act, with many unanswered questions on how plausible a ‘socially distanced theatre’ is, with many venues set to lose income once they reopen due to suggested maximum guest capacity.
A number of venues have already had an unfortunate twist in the narrative, with a series of expected redundancies planned over the next month or so including the iconic Edinburgh Lyceum, who has lost £700,000 of tickets and trading income since March.
In a statement, the theatre said they were “facing an extended period with no opportunity to earn income with ticket sales, bars, programmes and merchandise likely until at least spring 2021” even if they open with a lower audience capacity.
With decades of history at risk, it’s not just the traditional theatre show which may be set for an encore – even the Scottish pantomime in danger due to COVID-19.
Former National Theatre director Sir Nicholas Hytner has warned that as Christmas show bookings are organised so far in advance, panto season “won’t happen, whatever happens with the pandemic between now and Christmas.”
With the season contributing an estimated 25 to 50 per cent to a theatre’s overall income, the sector believes that the cancellation of Christmas productions could set the stage for the majority of Scottish theatre venues to close.
However, in this time of need, there’s a number of supporting characters cast in vital roles to help aid the culture industry. Funding body Creative Scotland in particular has made it a priority, working with the Scottish Government to protect the sector’s future.
With over 16,000 creative businesses in Scotland and 87,000 employees, the body has provided 2,200 hardship grants to artists and businesses who have been badly affected.
A ‘National Arts Force’ has also been recommended by an advisory group headed by former head of Tesco Bank Benny Higgins, who set out a list of key recommendations required to keep the theatres open in a report published back on June 22nd.
An expected response to this report is expected by the end of July from the Scottish government, but with the clock ticking and uncertainty around the easing of lockdown, the sector is right to be concerned.
Hopefully these problems can be faced head on with support for Scottish theatres and the arts. As they say, the shows must, once again, go on.
Phase Two Brings Property Boom
Today marks a new beginning for many businesses, as Scotland advances through phase two of lockdown, with non-essential retail, estate agents, outdoor fitness centres and dentists all reopening.
Naturally businesses would welcome a flood in custom to help them recoup the losses faced during lockdown. But of course, it’s not that simple as we enter the ‘new normal’ bringing with it reduced capacity indoors, strict physical distance procedures and enhanced cleaning protocols across the board.
One sector which looks set for a smooth road to recovery is the property sector, as several estate agents have noted long waiting lists of viewing requests and market appraisals.
I’m not surprised waiting lists are in their thousands, with prospective buyers spending three months of lockdown behind the same four walls. A recent study also found that more than a quarter of Brits admitted their vision of the perfect house has now changed since quarantine measures were introduced.
People will be aspiring for more space, especially with home working and home schooling likely to continue, at least in part, for some time to come. People will also be looking for their own outdoor space too, seeking private gardens or wishing to live nearer the coast or countryside.
Then there is the other side of the coin – people who have lost their jobs or taken a reduction in income and therefore need to downsize, or even those whose relationships have broken down and they now need separate accommodation.
Reassuringly it looks like the property sector will be quick to bounce back to its pre-COVID levels, but it might be in a different form as property expert Peter Ryder from Thorntons is predicting virtual viewings could be the new norm.
It Made Me Laugh
Amid the coronavirus pandemic there have been some inspiring moments of communities banding together and businesses supporting each other. It’s the biggest positive that we can all take from this.
However one business partnership that caught me by surprise is the new Lynx and Marmite joint venture.
In one of the most unlikely pairings yet, Lynx has released a brand new marmite inspired scent as part of its Lynx Africa range, including a body wash and body spray.
Available in supermarkets, the new product will hit the shelves early July in what can certainly be marked as another unique twist to the year 2020.
I’m sure it will have the nation divided, but these brands will be hoping there are more in the ‘love it’ camp than ‘hate it’.
It Made Me Weep
As lockdown restrictions were eased and we are able to meet other households outdoors – at a distance of course – it’s no surprise that people have been flocking to public parks and green spaces.
Not everyone has the luxury of a private garden so being able to sit outside together has been welcomed and the intermittent sunny spells have also encouraged crowds for picnics in parks and beauty spots.
It is a great shame then to see images of thrown away litter, bins overflowing and discarded rubbish blighting the scenery.
Some people are blaming the lack of council refuge collections, but to me that’s a pathetic excuse and we all have a responsibility to clean up after ourselves.
Scotland is known as a dear green place after all and as such we should respect it.
