ENTERTAINMENT industry workers celebrated yesterday after a Leeds contemporary theatre company U-turned on plans to lay off staff.

The staff launched a protest at the Phoenix Dance Theatre, which has been based in Leeds for 40 years, following management’s announcement of “creative pause” in its activities from June until January next year.

Dancers whose short-term contracts were coming to an end were to be laid off.

Entertainment union Equity staged yesterday’s protest, and two Phoenix staff were given standing ovations after speaking at the union’s annual conference in Leeds at the weekend.

The theatre backtracked after the protesters handed Phoenix a 1,800-signature petition demanding that the company reverse the decision to lay off the dancers.

Equity says the company has received millions of pounds in public subsidies from the Arts Council and Leeds City Council.