CENTRAL London resembled a ghost-town as nearly 20 West End shows were cancelled and bars, restaurants and cafes shut early.

Huge swathes of the city were virtually deserted last night with empty streets in areas such as Covent Garden and Soho.

Musicals including Billy Elliot, Mamma Mia, La Boheme, Grease, Oliver, Wicked, We Will Rock You, Joseph, the Phantom of the Opera, and Avenue Q cancelled performances because cast members and technical crew could not get to the theatres.

The Royal Opera House was forced to pull the performance of Die Tote Stadt. Richard Pulford, chief executive of the Society of London Theatre, said the big West End shows had been the worst hit. He said: "The entire list of closed theatres is really long. Shows with the biggest casts and with the biggest technical crews have been affected.

"If audiences want a refund we're recommending they go back to the point of sale as each retailer has a different refund policy."

Staff at Bar Italia, in Frith Street in Soho, one of the few places open last night, said the neighbouring bars and cafes that did manage to open had shut by 4pm because of a lack of trade.

A waiter, who did not wish to be named, said: "Soho's been dead all day. There have been problems with staff and deliveries, but there's been little point in opening. It's crazy how a little snow can cause so many problems." Only a handful of Soho venues were open yesterday evening. L'Escargot in Greek Street, French House and LVPO in Dean Street, Balans and The Three Greyhounds in Old Compton Street, and the Arts Theatre Club in Frith Street were among those that closed early.

Nina Spetzer, 33, a physical therapist from Pennsylvania on a week's holiday with her husband, Gregory, 42, managed to get a drink in Soho but was disappointed by the lack of options.

Mrs Spetzer said: "We were thinking of seeing a show or eating out after seeing the sights, but nearly everything is closed. I'm surprised a major city like London can't be ready for a little snow. It's not a great start to our vacation."

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