West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has urged local people to start booking to show support for arts and leisure businesses.
National restrictions will be further lifted on May 17 meaning that more businesses will be able to re-open, people will be able to visit pubs indoors and cinemas and theatres will be able to re-start.
Local organisations are starting to unveil their summer plans as they look to re-open their doors to paying customers in the coming weeks
Harriett worked closely with local art and leisure organisations to help preserve them through periods of lockdown and including supporting bids for emergency funding which secured nearly £1.5 million of funding for Malvern Theatre.
The venue has confirmed that it will start shows again on June 8 and staff are now returning to work as part of the re-opening plan.
Harriett Baldwin MP outside the popular Malvern Theatre
Harriett said: “I was in close touch with Nic Lloyd and the team as they bid for emergency funding and I was pleased to see his organisation able to access extensive Government support to get them to this point.
“I’m delighted to hear that paying customers will be able to return from next month and I’ll be doing my bit by visiting some of our popular arts and leisure venues in the coming months. I encourage others to do the same.
“The Culture Recovery Fund was an important measure to help protect business through periods of national lockdown but it is now time for local people to show their own support by booking tickets and going back to doing the things they love.
“With the enormously successful vaccination programme continuing across the county, I am convinced that we can return to a much more normal way of life very soon and I repeat my view that I hope the Government will follow the data, not dates, as we release national restrictions.”