Theatre launches fundraising bid to cover Covid rent bill

A London theatre is raising money to pay a £120,000 bill from rent arrears built up during the pandemic.

Sasha Regan, founder and director of the Union Theatre in Southwark, said she was struggling to pay the bill, which is for the period the venue was closed during the pandemic, alongside other outgoings which have gone up amid the cost of living crisis.

"That sort of amount of money, it's just not viable to add that on to our outgoings with the electricity, which is astronomical, and the rent that we're paying now," Regan, who set up the theatre 25 years ago, told the BBC.

Her daughter Nellie Regan, who is a performer, has set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money.

A spokesperson for the landlord said: "We're in conversation with Union Theatre to explore a solution to address their situation.

"Wherever possible we work to retain longstanding customers in our spaces."