Andrew Lloyd Webber warns of 'point of no return' as UK holiday season hangs in balance

'Theatre cannot operate with social distancing,' says Andrew Lloyd Webber. Photo: AP

Composer and producer Andrew Lloyd Webber has warned of a "point of no return" for the beleaguered British theatre sector, which has been severely impacted by closures due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Providing evidence recently to a Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) committee looking at the financial viability of reopening performance venues while meeting the government's social distancing requirements, Lloyd Webber said: "We simply have to get our arts sector back open and running."