Theatres and other indoor entertainment venues will have to remain closed in Tier 3 areas following the end of the national lockdown on 2 December.

The Prime Minister said: "[In] Tier 3, indoor entertainment, hotels and other accommodation will have to close, along with all forms of hospitality. I’m very sorry for the unavoidable hardship this will cause for business owners who have already endured so much disruption this year."

"Unlike the previous arrangement, tiers will now be a uniform set of rules. We won’t have negotiations on additional measures."

Theatres in tiers 1 and 2 will be permitted to reopen in a “Covid-secure manner” and public attendance at performances is limited to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 4,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors. Tier 1 theatres can also continue to stay open beyond the new curfew time of 11pm.

The government are set to reveal which tier each area of England will fall under on 26 November.

Chief executive of the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre Julian Bird said: "Closure of venues in Tier 3 areas will mean cancellation of pantos and other shows, risking organisations’ long-term survival and leaving theatre freelancers adrift with no compensation.

"The capacity constraints in Tiers 1 and 2 will lead to financial problems for venues and disappointment for audiences."

He added: "It is unclear why these have been instituted in a sector with no known spread of the virus. As ever, we remain committed to working with government to secure the survival of our world-leading theatre sector."