The Wycombe Swan and Aylesbury's Waterside Theatre have announced they will both be suspending forthcoming shows in response to the Coronavirus outbreak.

Both establishments have released statements after Prime Minister Boris Johnson advised that people should avoid non-essential contact with others in his press conference yesterday afternoon.

In a statement published on their website, Wycombe Swan wrote: "In response to the Prime Minister’s statement advising that people should avoid non-essential contact with others; all events and shows from Tuesday 17 March 2020 in our venue are suspended.

"We appreciate this will be disappointing news, but hope customers will understand the unprecedented nature of the current circumstances.

"Ultimately the health and wellbeing of all is the most important consideration at this time.

"We will be posting further statements over the coming days about the status of forthcoming shows.

"Where performances do not proceed we will make contact with customers at the appropriate time to advise on the next steps.

"We would ask all customers to refrain from contacting the Box Office unless absolutely necessary to do so.

"Please be assured that we are working as quickly as possible to understand the implications and to put appropriate steps in place."

Mark Cornell, the Group CEO of the Ambassador Theatre Group, released a similar statement on behalf of The Waterside Theatre.

"In response to the Prime Minister’s statement yesterday evening, advising the UK public to avoid unnecessary social contact, including in theatres, we regret to inform you that shows in all Ambassador Theatre Group UK venues are temporarily suspended with immediate effect.

"We understand that this decision comes as a disappointment, and a massive inconvenience for those of you already on the way to a venue this evening, but ultimately we all want the same thing: the health and safety of our communities, and we believe this is the correct decision to make.

"Given the current ambiguity and lack of clarity as to how long our theatres may be closed for, we hope to provide you with an update within the next 48 hours regarding the exchange of tickets.

"We will be consulting with industry bodies including the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre and the government over the immediate future.

"For now, we would like to thank you for your understanding and patience, and to recognise the incredible efforts and support of producers, artists, partners and customers over this difficult period."