Library and café poised to welcome customers back in phased reopening of Alnwick Playhouse

The library and its café, McKenna’s, are due to reopen on Monday, May 17 in line with the further easing of Covid restrictions.

Playhouse manager Jo Potts, in the venue’s latest newsletter, wrote: “We have been working with our hospitality partners to make the foyer area as spacious as possible to allow café patrons to wait safely inside as opposed to outside for a table. We have hand sanitising stations and information upon entry.

"To create space and assist with two way traffic at the front entrance the playhouse box office will not be in operation in the foyer. We ask for the cooperation of all of our patrons to continue using the online box office and make telephone enquiries and bookings.

"Café tables will be spread out into the White Room on the ground floor and although café reservations are recommended it is not essential to pre-book.”

Only the ground floor is open during phase one with no access to the upper level of the playhouse.

Phase two, with the reopening of the first floor, playhouse auditorium and gallery, is dependent on results from the Government Events Research Programme exploring how different approaches to social distancing, ventilation and test-on-entry protocols could ease opening and maximise participation.

"The evidence from these pilots will be used to inform and shape government policy to bring about the phased return of fuller audiences to venues and events,” said Jo.

The pandemic broke out just three months after the theatre reopened following a £3.3m refurbishment.

The library will initially be open Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm and Saturday 10am-1pm.

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