THE ROYAL Shakespeare Theatre has been forced to close its restaurant and cafe after being hit by the ‘ping-demic’.
The theatre announced the closure of its Rooftop Restaurant yesterday (Tuesday), followed by the Riverside Cafe earlier today.
Staff are in isolation after being notified by the NHS Track and Trace app, which requires people to stay home for 10 days.
It follows widespread disruption for businesses after record numbers of people were ‘pinged’ by the app – dubbed the ‘ping-demic’ by mainstream media.
Both venues – which opened according to government guidelines on July 19 – are expected to reopen on Tuesday August 3.
The latest statement on the website read: “We are very sorry that due to members of staff being required to self-isolate we have had to close the Riverside Cafe until an expected reopening date of Tuesday 3 August.
“Our priority is the safety of our visitors and the RSC team.
“We have strict Covid-19 protocols in place to make sure we keep everybody safe and can continue our service. On this occasion, we sadly have to close the Riverside Cafe to adhere to those guidelines.
“We thank people for their continued patience and support and apologise for any inconvenience caused.”
