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The London Coliseum, the largest theatre in the West End, is closed along with the rest of the UK capital's theatre district Image caption: The London Coliseum, the largest theatre in the West End, is closed along with the rest of the UK capital's theatre district

Theatres are "running out" of time and need urgent help from the UK government to stop the industry collapsing, says shadow culture secretary Jo Stevens.

The Labour MP has written to Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden asking for sector specific support, warning venues "are going under".

Theatres, gig and comedy venues were ordered to shut in mid-March. Stevens says many cannot afford to reopen when restrictions are eased because of social distancing measures.

She also says many actors, comedians and musicians have been excluded from Treasury support schemes, warning the prospect of no further income "means large scale redundancies".

In response, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said many organisations have "already benefited" from government support.

"The UK government is providing unprecedented financial support for the arts and culture through the job retention scheme, a years' business rates holiday and more than £200m emergency public funding," a DCMS spokesperson told BBC News.

The DCMS added it is committed to opening arts and cultural institutions "as soon as it is safe to do so". Earlier this week, Dowden said he would not "stand by and see our world-leading position in arts and culture destroyed".