Arts / Arts agency announces Mareel re-opening date
AS SHETLAND slowly comes out of lockdown in line with a Scotland-wide approach Shetland Arts has announced that Mareel is to re-open on Monday 31 August with reduced hours and social distancing measures in place for the café bar and the cinema.
As part of a phased approach to re-opening, the outdoor seating area of the Bonhoga café in Weisdale will be open again as of 1 August, with the indoor area and the shop following on 31 August.
The arts agency said on Tuesday that its ShetlandMade shop at Sumburgh Airport
“will remain closed for the immediate future” while it is working with promoters on how they wish to proceed with re-opening the Garrison Theatre.
Chief executive Graeme Howell said thorough Covid-19 risk assessments at all venues have been carried out and precautions taken to ensure customers and staff feel safe and comfortable on re-opening.
These include the provision of e-tickets where possible and reduced cinema capacity to allow for social distancing.
“We are working to re-open in a way that is safe and appropriate to all our areas of work,” Howell said.
“Planning a phased return allows us to focus on one facility at a time, to learn from our experiences and develop more sophisticated strategies as advice changes.
“Crucially after a period of no income it allows us to assess demand and manage the financial impact.”
He added that all at Shetland Arts had been touched by the support from the community since all venues closed their doors in March.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming you back to our venues and thank you for your patience while we navigate our way through these difficult times,” he said.
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