WILTSHIRE Creative has said with a “heavy heart” it has had to cancel its forthcoming February season due to Covid-19.

The announcement comes after Wiltshire was placed into Tier 3 and then a national lockdown was imposed.

A statement on Wiltshire Creative’s website, the organisation set up to run Salisbury Playhouse and Salisbury Arts Centre, said it was "with a heavy heart we have to announce that we are obliged to cancel our forthcoming February season at Salisbury Playhouse and to temporarily close Salisbury Arts Centre".

“The future continues to be challenging, but we are determined to continue offering cultural activity to the city and county as and when we can. Behind the scenes, our artistic team continues to schedule exciting socially distanced seasons ready to perform at the Playhouse as soon as is feasible.

"In addition, the Arts Centre will continue to offer a safe and spacious café space, stunning visual art exhibitions and a hub for our community and educational activity as soon as circumstances allow.

"Whilst Salisbury International Arts Festival will not be able to go ahead in its conventional format, plans are already in place to ensure that music, performance and culture brings the city’s streets and spaces alive in the summer months for the whole community.”

Wiltshire Creative says it will be reviewing the closure regularly and “will reopen as soon as is feasibly possible”.

It also praised the "enormous generosity" of its audiences who donated more than £70,000 in ticket donations and charitable.

The statement added: "Throughout this extraordinary time, our priority has been to deliver a strong artistic programme, recognising how much culture can act as a necessary balm in difficult times. The enormous generosity of our loyal audiences in donating over £70,000 in ticket donations and charitable gifts has played an invaluable part in helping us to achieve this. Thank you."

Go to wiltshirecreative.co.uk for more information.