...and ‘just like that’ (as Tommy Cooper used to say during his brilliant performances) we are now looking at a reopening date for indoor, socially distanced performances from August 1.

As quickly as we were required to close as an industry, we are now allowed to consider our reopening. The result of the socially distanced pilots that have taken place with audiences in theatres and music venues have been deemed safe and these trials will feed into the guidelines which we will adhere to, ensuring our venues are safe to reopen for our awaiting loyal patrons.

The announcements, wonderfully optimistic as they are, ironically send ripples of setbacks throughout the industry. Waves of hectic rescheduling begins, A-listed comedians, bands and actors’ agents take a view on the viability of the tours that were due to be arriving at venues around the country like our very own Huntingdon Hall and Swan Theatre for the autumn season onwards.

READ MORE: On the scrap heap at 55 – my job-hunting nightmare

These tours, of course, don't just begin and end at our venues, the tour dates both precede and surpass us, by months sometimes a year.

Furious sums on calculators begin as the viability of going ahead with tours in social distanced settings begins. Consensus of opinions across the industry is gathered, aspiring to achieve the best outcomes for venues, artists and our cultural provision as a whole.

Retaining a programme of events to present to our audience for the coming months ahead is a challenge, the majority of artists and tours require at least a 70 per cent capacity in order to ensure financial viability to return to a stable touring position, therefore the date for reopening with social distanced audiences is good news and brings us one step closer to seeing performances back inside our venues, but it may not be the day our doors are fully flung open again.