Indigo is a survey company which, according to their websites, prides itself on providing “smart, sensible and practical consultancy for the cultural sector” based on “a vast combined knowledge of the sector but also a passion for the arts – and an overriding desire to help the sector thrive”
They’ve been number crunching over 40,000 audience responses about their likely future theatre going, via participating organisations across the UK, ranging from Opera Companies to small and large venues, including Concert Halls, Theatres and Arts Centres.
They describe the results so as “sobering” but it seems to me there are few surprises we couldn’t have deduced by applying a little common sense.
Here’s the key stats. Please note Indigo are only part way through their survey and anticipate further data to be submitted from over 100 venues over the next few weeks.
So far -
“Only 15% of people are still actively booking tickets for future events – and those that are, are not booking for events happening before September, and a significant percentage (21%) not until 2021.
Only 20% of audiences would return to venues ‘just because they open again’ – others may stay away on Government or health advice (53%), or just ‘prefer’ to stay away until they feel safe (26%). For over 65s the initial figure saying they would return is only 15%.
The measures that would make audiences feel most safe in returning to venues include avoiding long queues (75%), limiting capacities (75%) and socially distanced seating (66%)”
In my opinion the key statistic for producers is rather buried in the middle –
“For over 65s the initial figure saying they would return is only 15%.”
This is important because by far the biggest socio-economic group who book theatre tickets are around this age.
But to get the fullest picture of the next few years what The West End urgently needs is some informed speculation about when we can expect tourists to return to London in significant numbers.
Pre-covid they were purchasing a mighty one third of the capital’s theatre tickets!
It’s very hard to predict how they’ll feel about cramming in to an indoor space with fellow audience members coughing and sneezing around them, especially if the news cycles continue to be dominated by the pandemic.
Here's the comedian Rachel Parris appearing on Harry Hill's ClubNite back in Nov 30, 2019.