A shortage of clowns is threatening to bring down the curtain at British circuses.
Overseas performers are struggling to get visas to work here as Home Office staff are swamped by applications and officials say a surge in refugees from the war in Ukraine is to blame.
Martin Burton, chairman of the Association of Circus Proprietors of Great Britain, warned Big Tops were “imploding’”.
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He said: “Almost every circus in the UK is now suffering because they can’t bring unique overseas artists in, in time.
“Unless this is reversed quite quickly and UK Visas and Immigration goes back to working in its normal way we will be stuck with having fewer and fewer people we can choose to bring in.
“It will affect the quality and that will mean fewer people will come to the circus and that will affect the number of circuses, which will affect the whole British circus scene.’’
Irina Archer, director of international circus agency Show Productions, said visas with a normal 21-day processing time were taking up to four months.
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“It’s huge, because there’s a shortage of good circus performers in the UK,’’ she said.
“For us to continue we have to rely on foreign artists and to rely on foreign artists we need to get visas granted.’’
A Home Office spokesman said: “We had been prioritising applications for the Ukraine Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine in response to the humanitarian crisis caused by Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine so applications for study, work and family visas have taken longer to process.’’
Michael Day, of performers’ union Equity, added: “Delays in getting artists from overseas are worse than ever as those from EU countries now also need visas.
“This can result in delayed starts to seasons, lost performances and reduced line-ups with the resulting loss of income – not to mention the stress.’’
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