London theatre box office takings up in 2012 despite Olympics, economic gloom

LONDON – London’s theatres say they had a strong 2012 despite the Olympics’ “dampening effect” on ticket sales.

Figures released Tuesday show that almost 14 million tickets were sold for 52 playhouses in 2012, a 0.56 per cent increase on the year before. Ticket revenue rose 0.27 per cent to just under 530 million pounds ($835 million).

Attendance fell 3 per cent for musicals but rose 9 per cent for plays.

The Society of London Theater says sales and attendance dropped during the summer Games, but not as drastically as some had feared. There had been pre-games worries that concerns about transport mayhem and overcrowding would scare audiences away from central London.

Society president Mark Rubenstein said it was encouraging that sales had grown amid a struggling economy and in a year of “exceptional challenges.”