Demonstrators protest against South Bank job cuts

Arts sector workers have protested about job cuts on the South Bank Credit: Credit: PA

Scores of creatives have rallied outside the National Theatre in central London to protest against more than 1,000 "callous" job cuts along South Bank.

Three major arts institutions - the Tate, the National Theatre and the Southbank Centre - are making redundancies brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. Workers are also campaigning for fair redundancy payouts and preferential rehiring for casual staff, and against the large salaries retained by bosses.

More than a thousand jobs are being lost in the capital. Credit: Credit: PA

Up to 400 people are expected to lose their jobs at each of the Southbank Centre and the National Theatre, and more than 300 at the Tate.

A procession of workers from all three institutions marched from the National Theatre to the Southbank Centre just before midday, where speeches were given by staff members and various artists and poets.A banner, made in solidarity with the workers by Turner prize winning artist Jeremy Deller, was also unfurled.

the Tate, the National Theatre and the Southbank Centre are making redundancies because of the pandemic Credit: Credit: PA

Andrew, 48, a front-of-house worker at the National Theatre, said that for many of those made redundant, the institutions were "like second home".