Floral Pavilion postpones panto due to Covid pandemic

The Floral Pavilion has postponed its Christmas panto Beauty and the Beast because of ongoing restrictions and uncertainty around the Covid pandemic.

The New Brighton theatre becomes the latest venue to announce that its traditional festive show won’t be going ahead this Christmas.

Blood Brothers’ Sean Jones and Melanie Walters (Gwen in Gavin and Stacey) were due to appear in the magical family show.

Now theatre bosses and the Floral’s regular panto producer UK Productions Ltd have made the decision to postpone the run until December 2021. Jones and Walters will head the cast of the rescheduled production.

Producer Martin Dodd said today: “I know what a central part the pantomime plays in so many families Christmases and we’re always so grateful that so many turn out year after year to support this fabulous theatre and our Christmas show.

“However in the light of the prevailing conditions we don’t feel we’ll be able to safely provide the high quality production that everybody has come to love and expect, and we would be doing everyone a disservice if we had to scale it back.”

The theatre’s commercial manager David Mackenzie added: “It’s been a difficult decision to make but the continued uncertainty around live performance and our focus on the safety of all our customers, staff and cast has left us with no choice but to reschedule the show.”

Beauty and the Beast will now run from December 4 2021 to January 2 2022.