Apollo Theatre collapse: 'Repair old theatres or audiences may flee' But until Thursday night - however much we may have glanced warily up from cramped seats at looming chandeliers or overhanging balconies, however much we may wonder how long it would take to clear an auditorium in an emergency - audiences have largely taken their safety for granted. Not any more, perhaps. We might huff and puff about the "restoration levy" that is now added as standard to many ticketing transactions but the blunt truth is that, despite the likes of the Really Useful Group and Delfont Mackintosh pushing ahead with major refurbishments over the past few years, our older theatres need huge amounts of capital investment to ensure they're fit for purpose. How the industry responds in the next 24 hours will be vital to reviving confidence. Tourists may take fright, coach parties may hang back. If there's sufficient doubt or panic out there, the enduring West End boom might turn to bust. All theatre owners, not just Nimax, which owns the Apollo, must redouble their efforts to allay fears. And if it's shown to be the case that the commercial sector lacks sufficient resources, then the Government must step in to support the renovation work. I want to recommend the best our stage has to offer - not grimly suggest that people head into town equipped with hard-hats, torches and whistles.