People willing to spend more on cultural events after lockdown according to new YouGov poll

YouGov poll shows people likely to spend more on going to the theatre and cultural events

When coronavirus is less of a threat, people are likely to attend the theatre more often and may even be willing to pay top dollar for cultural experiences, according to a new poll by YouGov.

19 per cent of respondents said they were expecting to pay more to attend theatre shows, football matches, and gigs whilst 12 per cent said they expect to spend less on tickets to such events. 4 per cent said they would spend a lot more for the theatre, 15 per cent of respondents said they'd spend a bit more, and 63 per cent said there would be "no difference" in their spending on theatre shows.

The results also differ by age group: 29 per cent of young people said they would be happy to spend more on such events whilst only 10 per cent of seniors would increase their spending. 73 per cent of over-65s are not planning on changing the amount they spend on cultural events at all.

The results from the poll all suggest that Londoners are far more likely to increase spending on events once the COVID-19 measures are eased with 26 per cent stating that they would. In North England and Scotland, this percentage drops to 19 per cent.

About 2,000 people participated in the YouGov poll, which also shows that out of all other activities (such as spending time outdoors or seeing family and friends), 4 per cent claimed that they were MOST looking forward to attending cultural events.

Will West End theatre tickets get more expensive because of coronavirus?

At this point, it is unclear whether ticket prices will rise. It all depends on the demand once theatres are reopened. On the one hand, it makes sense theatres might charge a little more to help pay for their loss of income during the coronavirus crisis. On the other hand, they may want to pack houses as quickly as possible by making shows more financially accessible. Only time will tell.