THE month-long lockdown announced on Saturday has led to Blackburn’s Empire Theatre postponing all shows until the end of the year.

This means the planned pantomime will now not go ahead.

Michael Berry, chairman of the Blackburn Empire, said: “As the theatre will now have to move into another lockdown period, we have had to take the devastating decision to postpone all our shows for 2020.

“Our team of staff and volunteers have done a massive amount of work to make the theatre safe for socially-distanced audiences to return but our plans to reopen will now have to look towards 2021.

“We are sorry to disappoint all the audiences and schools who were looking forward to a trip to the panto this year.

“We understand that the new restrictions are being put in place to protect us all and that has to be our top priority.

“The Empire will be back at the heart of the community when it is safe to do so.”

The Empire had planned a re-opening show, Magic of the Musicals, on Friday - the first at the theatre in over six months - but that has now been cancelled.

More than 20 performances of the pantomime had been arranged for local schools but sadly these have had to be cancelled.

The theatre is to get in touch with every ticket holder for shows in 2020 by email in the next few days with more information and have asked that people do not contact the theatre by phone or email in the meantime.