The Met has been working hard to bring our building back to life and our visitors back to live experiences after shutdown. 

In short, here’s what we’re doing:

• Social distancing and limiting numbers in all areas
• Extra cleaning and safety measures
• Bringing drinks to you at your table or seat in the gig

And here’s what we’ll ask of you:

• Only visit with people from your household or support bubble
• Wear a face covering in shared spaces in the building
• Follow the signs and staff advice to maintain social distances
• ‘Check in’ with Track & Trace when you enter, and please stay away if you or any of your household display Covid symptoms or are waiting for the results of a test.

If you’re ready to come and join us at The Met again here’s more detail about are a few differences you might spot:

Social Distancing

To limit any risk of transmission we’ll have social distancing measures in place at all shows. That means:

• Reduced capacities at shows (limited to no more than 60-80 people, depending on booking patterns and local guidance at the time of the event, in a space that can hold 400)
  
• Booking tables for gigs: the majority of our guests for gigs will book a table with seats for up to 4 people (who should all be from the same household or support bubble). There will be table service available for drinks before the show. Please use the app (download for Android or Apple mobile devices), or scan the QR code on your table to order and pay online from our restaurant Automatic for drinks if possible.
  
• Queuing! Yes, we’re British, and we know how to queue. We’ll be as quick as we can with temperature checks on entry, ticket checking and directing you to your seats, but we’ll ask you to maintain social distancing and follow a one-way system into the building while that happens, which means a few queues may be inevitable – please bear with with us while we get everyone in and maintain distancing if you are asked to wait.
  
• There are limits on the number of people using the bathrooms at any time, and our staff will be helping to reduce the number of people in public areas before, during and after performances. 

In line with general government guidance at the moment we’ll also have hand sanitising stations and will remind ticket-holders to regularly clean their hands and avoid touching their faces where possible. 

There will be additional cleaning of high-traffic areas and extra ventilation where possible. There will be signage and staff on hand to guide you around the building as we look to avoid crowding or bottlenecks. 

If you or anyone in your household has developed any symptoms of Covid please do not come into the building. 

Booking

As ever, we strongly recommend booking online in advance for shows. You’ll need to provide full contact details when you book to comply with track and trace procedures. The capacity for shows will be lower that usual, with exact numbers depending on booking patterns. Local restrictions may mean we’re able to add more tickets closer to the time; it’s worth contacting us to let us know if you’d like to join a waiting list if tickets are showing as unavailable.

• Unreserved seating: some shows are currently available to book as ‘unreserved’ seating. You’ll be seated by our staff on the night in line with social distancing protocols. For some events you will find the option to book a table with a maximum of 4 seats, and limited single seats and pairs on the balcony.
  

• Booking Protection: we’re introducing optional booking protection to all tickets. Our standard T&Cs mean you are entitled to a refund only if the show is cancelled by the artist, venue or promoter. Booking Protection can be added from £1 per ticket, and will entitle you to claim a refund if you are unable to attend the gig due to illness or having to self-isolate.

Temperature checks

As an extra measure we’ll be asking all customers to have temperature checks on the way into the venue. It’s a fast and simple process, with a quick camera scan which does not keep or use any of your data, but just lets our staff visually confirm that no-one in the building currently has a high temperature. Customers presenting a high temperature may not be permitted into the venue. 

Face Coverings

Our staff will be wearing a face-covering (visor or mask) when greeting or serving customers. Customers are requested to wear a face-covering (unless exempt) while entering and moving around the venue. In line with government guidelines, customers may remove their face-covering whilst seated and drinking. 

Gigs

There may be a few changes to what you’d expect from a gig at The Met. Unfortunately there are no support acts booked at the moment. Gigs will start at the time stated on the ticket and will run straight through without an interval. Some artists may present matinee or early evening shows on the same day. Our bar and restaurant Automatic is open and we strongly suggest booking a table so you can grab a drink before or after the show (curfew allowing), as we won’t be able to let you gather in the upstairs bar after the show. You’ll get an email before the show with as much detail as we can give you on running times to help you decide what to do after the show.

Streaming

However much we’d love to, there will be times when it’s just not viable to get a band on stage and enough people in the room to make it work. Which is where streaming comes in. Keep an eye out for our ‘big screen’ streams from artists who can’t come to Bury, but will perform live on screen with high quality visuals and through the gig PA. There’ll be a limited number of tickets to come and join us at a table in The Met just like a regular gig, with table service and a little more atmosphere (you’ll feel better clapping a screen if there are other people in the room doing the same thing). If you can’t come to join us in the room, these gigs will be available to enjoy online at home. See the individual event listings for more details.

We’re also bringing fantastic artists to our stage and recording or livestreaming from The Met itself. There may be a very limited live audience for these performances but we expect most viewers to join us online. These gigs are a lifeline for venues and performers and the income raised is currently a vital income stream for the live music industry, so please support them if you can. Many of the streams are available to watch back for a period of time after the live show.