THE MEMO Arts Centre staff say having to close under the new Coronavirus restrictions is "a huge blow" that "has knocked them for six".

Yesterday the Welsh Government announced that indoor entertainment venues and attractions such as cinemas, bowling alleys, museums and galleries must close from Friday 4 December.

Memo Arts Centre General Manager Kate Long spoke on national radio yesterday, saying the team are "gutted" and that the restrictions "couldn't have come at a worse time".

"We've spent months behind the scenes fundraising to support our sustainability, developing projects, making adaptations to the venue to incorporate all the social distancing that we're going to be needing, and just recently we've been planning our reopening of the cinema.

"This couldn't have come at a worse time, on Wednesday we completed the preparations, we relaunched our cinema opening, we welcomed back a fantastic audience of 80 guests, all socially distanced, across an auditorium that normally accommodates 856 seats.

"So, we were on the verge of launching all of our lovely Christmas programming and bang, the announcement came at lunchtime yesterday.

"Cinema exhibitors and arts organisations are employers. This closure will impact on our staff, the freelance technicians, the volunteers, and all the others who we rely on to support our operation."

First Minister Mark Drakeford justified the closures of indoor attractions and restrictions on hospitality venues as places where Coronavirus spreads.

"The ground that we gained during the firebreak lockdown is being eroded as Coronavirus thrives on normal human behaviour," said Mr Drakeford.

"We too now need to use the coming weeks to reduce the spread of the virus and create more headroom for the Christmas period. The cabinet has agreed to take further and specific action.

"We will focus on places where we meet where the virus thrived," he said.

Responding to the announcement on Twitter yesterday, the Memo Arts Centre said: "The announcement yesterday was a huge blow after the high of our cinema relaunch on Wednesday.

"We had an overwhelmingly positive response from the audience and had been working hard on a programme of festive film event for the coming weeks.

"We understand the need for safety, the health and well-being of our community, visitors, volunteers, freelancers and staff are important to us.

"We made changes to ensure social distancing and those who came Wednesday told us that they felt safe and would return.

"This announcement, more so that the fire break, has knocked us for six.

"During lockdown we adapted, delivered projects, workshops and activity through virtual platforms, welcomed the Welsh Blood Service for over 2,000 donations, used the time to refurbish toilets and change signage.

"Last week we shared a live virtual performance by Taking Flight for families & schools.

"We were due to have a new parent & toddler group start in December but with the new rules we might have to postpone. We can't give group facilitators, parents or volunteers any answers yet.

We are so grateful for the support & funding this year so thank you to Barry Town Council , the Arts Council of Wales , the Vale of Glamorgan Council , Film Hub Wales , and Ffilm Cymru Wales and our incredible volunteers, audiences & community.

"Our cinema relaunch gave work to freelance technicians but new rules scupper those plans.

"We're a registered charity & usually generate 65% turnover from tickets, hospitality & room hires. We knew this year we'd have no Billboard Barry panto, no Christmas parties, no pre-show workshops or audiences in their hundreds. Cinema relaunch had 80 in a capacity of 856 seats.

"But now, it looks as though even those limited, distanced audiences will not be coming. Our time & energy programming December films, training and recruiting volunteers, planning the safest approach for snacks & drinks sales was for nothing.

"When we return, we urge the Welsh Government to look at the work we & other venues have done to make cinema as safe as possible & allow live performance with safety measures.

"Ours is a multi-arts space, it makes no sense that it's within the rules for film but not for live."