Pantos on ice as Tier 3 areas announced

Several Lottery-funded Christmas pantomimes may have to be cancelled following news of England's Tier 3 areas.

Manchester Opera House, Bristol Hippodrome, Theatre Royal Newcastle, Regent Theatre Stoke on Trent, Theatre Royal Nottingham and Birmingham Hippodrome are unable to hold in-person performances based on the new restrictions.

National Lottery operator Camelot has been approached for comment.

Sector associations expressed their "consternation" that live performances will be banned in many parts of England.

Theatres Trust Director Jon Morgan described it as a "terrible blow" for organisations that had planned pantos and other shows.

"They will have invested in rehearsals and other preparations for reopening and will now find themselves unable to recoup those costs, facing further financial strain in what has already been a catastrophic year."

Musicians' Union General Secretary Horace Trubridge said the tier allocations make the prospect of work for many of its members "even more distant".

"The lack of consistency and common sense is glaring. These new tier system restrictions need a radical rethink if the live sector is going to see any recovery in the short to medium term."