The Hackney Empire in London is to close for at least nine months as of January.

The theatre is suffering with financial problems and will use the downtime to “take stock”.

A spokesperson told the BBC: “The closure was not forced on us and we are confident it will not be permanent – just a chance to reflect.

“Theatres are expensive places to run and our balance isn’t right. It is important that we take stock and look to fix any long term problems.”

The theatre will continue to run a youth workshop programme, but the majority of staff will be made redundant.

A Hackney Council spokesperson said: “The Hackney Empire is a much loved icon and is at the heart of our borough’s cultural life. Hackney Council and the arts council are working together to provide a package of support to ensure the Empire is able to recover from these difficulties and return to a full programme as soon as practically possible.”