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London theatres report record-breaking year
London's theatres saw a record number of visitors during 2009 as box office receipts passed the £500m mark for the first time, according to new figures from the Society of London Theatre (SLT).
Attendances for plays, musicals, operas and dance productions during the 12-month period increased by 5.5 per cent to more than 14 million, compared with 2008, while box office revenues increased by 7.6 per cent on a like-for-like basis. Plays proved the most successful for London's theatres in 2009, with attendances up by more than a quarter, while opera, dance and entertainment also reported growth. Musical attendances, however, declined by 2 per cent for the overall year.
It is the seventh successive year of growth for the city's arts venues, which has also generated £75m in VAT receipts for HM Revenue and Customs. Hotels, restaurants and transport operators have also benefited through increased additional spend. SLT president Nica Burns said: "Britain's artistic community continues to create exceptional work. The extraordinary quality and breadth of productions available nightly in London explains these record figures in such a difficult year economically.
"While our musicals continue to flourish, 2009 was an outstanding year for plays - proving that audiences respond to challenge and stimulation, as well as toe-tapping entertainment."
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