WITH the number of deaths and confirmed cases now in decline each day, and lockdown measures increasingly relaxed, we’re starting to see what the long-term impact of coronavirus will be on our society as we ‘emerge’ from what has hopefully been the worst period of the crisis.

At the height of the pandemic the focus was quite rightly on saving lives by stemming the spread of Covid, which meant closing down non-essential businesses such as arts venues. Of course, with no income for more than three months and counting, many theatres, cinemas, museums, galleries and other live performance spaces have been left on the verge of collapse, while others have simply gone out of business. So the government’s £1.57 billion rescue package for the cultural and heritage industries is vital.

Here in Worcestershire, life would be much worse off without our theatres, galleries, museums and cinemas, so we need people to support them in the same way they have pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and shops – that means spending their money there when they can.