Power cut ruins West End treat for 500 pensioners

Hundreds of theatregoers - including a party of 500 pensioners - were left disappointed when a power cut struck the West End, forcing shows to be cancelled.

The lights went out for 655 businesses and homes around Shaftesbury Avenue at 9.45am yesterday. Power was not fully restored until 5.15pm.

At the Queen's Theatre, the matinee performance of Les Misérables was called off. Impresario Sir Cameron Mackintosh had donated 500 tickets to Westminster council for the borough's pensioners. A spokesman for Cameron Mackintosh Ltd said: "Unfortunately, this happens with monotonous regularity." Les Mis and Avenue Q were both hit by power cuts earlier this year.

Supplier EDF Energy apologised to its customers for the inconvenience.