THE shows will go on in west Dorset after theatres received lifeline funding from the government to ensure their survival in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Lyme Arts Community Trust, the organisation which runs The Marine Theatre, and Bridport's Electric Palace have both received £50,000 in the latest round of funding from the the Culture Recovery Fund.

The Marine Theatre is aiming for a full reopening next spring, with plans for a special series of events to welcome the community back.

Gabby Rabbitts, director of The Marine, said: “We are so pleased and relieved. Alongside savings, fundraising, and support from our volunteers, this will help us leap eagerly from the pandemic to provide the whole community with enjoyment, at a time when we need culture more than ever.”

Meanwhile, Alasdair Warren, owner of the Electric Palace, said: “One of the central aims of the Culture Recovery Fund is to ensure regional theatres and cinemas can survive these challenging circumstances.

“We thought £50,000 would be an appropriate amount to see us through to spring where, hopefully, we will start to see improvements in the Covid-19 situation.

“The reason we decided to apply for the funding was, most importantly, to ensure the survival of the theatre as fixed costs of running a theatre are very high, especially when not able to operate at our full capacity. We also hope to be able to put on a programme of events that would be less rewarding economically than usual as we will likely be running at half capacity. In addition, we would like to support local performing arts groups which are struggling financially, by programming COVID-safe screenings of their performances.”

The awards are part of the Government’s £1.57 billion investment in UK culture, launched to help Britain’s globally renowned arts, culture and heritage industries including smaller regional initiatives. A total of £4 million has now been awarded across Dorset.

West Dorset MP, Chris Loder, said: “This is a further boost for jobs in West Dorset and will help secure the future of our unique theatres, museums and historic destinations.

“This funding will enable socially-distanced performances to restart where safe to do so, venues to plan for reopening, and create opportunities for freelance workers.

“It proves that the Government is listening to our needs here and is prepared to invest in our cultural heritage.”