Rapid coronavirus testing is 'the key' to reopening cinemas, theatres and nightclubs, according to Greater Manchester's night time economy adviser Sacha Lord.
The Parklife festival co-founder said the industry has been lobbying for a viable way for venues to reopen at full capacity for months now.
Asked about the government's suggestion that rapid testing could be used to allow venues to reopen, Mr Lord told BBC Breakfast: "The cinemas, the theatres that I'm speaking to, none of them think it is viable to open at a social distanced rate - they are all pushing for 100 per cent - and this is the key. This is the answer."
"We have two options to get into these venues - either you have had the vaccine or you have a quick test on entry."
It comes after prime minister Boris Johnson said rapid testing for the virus could be used by venues that have so far had to remain shut during the pandemic.
He told yesterday's Downing Street press conference: “What we are thinking of at the moment is a route that relies on mass vaccination and lateral flow testing, rapid testing, for those bits of the economy that are the toughest nuts to crack, such as nightclubs or theatres, those parts of the economy we couldn’t get open last year. And I think that will be the route that we go down and that businesses will go down”.
But he stressed it was "still early days", with "lots of discussions still to be had".
Mr Lord said he "had to scrape myself off the floor" when he heard the prime minister mention nightclubs at the Downing Street briefing.
"It is the first time he has said it in 11 months," Mr Lord said.
Nightclubs have been shut since the first lockdown in March 2020, while cinemas and theatres have been able to open on occasion, but with capacity-limiting social distancing measures in place.
"We have had very good conversations behind the scenes for the last five months trying to give advice to the government because as event organisers what we do is we create safe environments," Mr Lord added.
"We are regulated, we are licensed. But we cannot go ahead unless the authorities think it is safe to do so."
Mr Johnson has said he is “hopeful” that lockdown can be cautiously eased in the coming weeks, as he prepares to announce his plans to lift restrictions from March 8.
His 'road map' out of lockdown is expected to include dates on which he hopes to be able to reopen certain parts of the economy.
Ministers are analysing data on infection rates, hospitalisations, deaths and the impact of the vaccine as they undertake their first review of the third lockdown this week.
Mr Johnson said said he wants the current national lockdown to be the last – and for the unlocking to be “irreversible”.
