The impact of the coronavirus crisis is already making its impact felt on Ledbury life, with the cancellation of all shows at Ledbury's Market Theatre, at least for three months.

The town's two museums will not be re-opening for the tourist season and there has been a run of cancellations at The Burgage Hall, in Church Lane, where many community groups usually meet.

Market Theatre management could not be contacted at the time of going to press, but a notice on the venue's official web site states: "In view of advice from the Government on March 16, regarding public gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic, we have reluctantly decided to cancel all shows, until at least the end of June.

"Any change to this will be notified here as and when we have further information."

The statement adds: "We will be contacting all patrons who have booked tickets during this period to offer full refunds."

Meanwhile, a well-publicised launch event for a new tourist season has been cancelled at the Heritage Centre, in Church Lane.

Heritage Centre spokesperson, Sally Holliday said: "The decision has been made, in view of the current circumstances to cancel the drop-in event at the Heritage Centre that was planned for Saturday March 21".

The official start of a tourist season at the Heritage Centre was officially set to take place the following week, on March 28, but this also will now not happened.

Mrs Holliday said: "The Heritage Centre will not now re-open for the season on Saturday March 28.

"We have a duty of care to all our wonderful band of volunteers."

It is not known as yet when the Heritage Centre will re-open.

The half-timbered Heritage Centre, once Ledbury's grammar school, is an important part of the Ledbury tourist scene.

Typically it attracts almost 25,000 visitors each year, "coming from all parts of the globe".

Visitors particularly enjoy the atmosphere of the building, the huge chimney, the construction of the building itself and the friendliness of the volunteers.

Ledbury's other museum, the Butcher Row Museum, will also not re-open for the tourist season, until further notice.

Chris Johnson, a spokesman for the Ledbury and District Civic Society, which runs the museum with the help of more than 60 volunteers said: "It's very disappointing, but our volunteers are being very positive and saying that when the museum does re-open, it will be better than ever.

"But obviously, the vast majority of our volunteers are in the vulnerable categories, being elderly or having health issues."

A coffee morning for the volunteers, scheduled for Thursday, was also postponed, because of concern over the well-being of the volunteers.

Mr Johnson said the Civic Society would monitor the coronavirus situation for an review "every two or three weeks".

But he added: "I guess the Butcher Row Museum will be shut for two or three months."

The nearby Burgage Hall, also off Church Lane and also run by the Civic Society, is currently still open for bookings; but there has been a run of postponements or cancellations from concerned community groups, including U3A, WEA and Probus.

Mr Johnson said this would not hit the pockets of the groups concerned.

He said: "If people don't use the Hall, we won't charge."