Mayfair Theatre selling seats during COVID-19 pandemic

The Mayfair Theatre is closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic (Photo courtesy Facebook/Mayfair Theatre

OTTAWA — The Mayfair Theatre is closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but you can still buy a seat in the historic theatre.

Patrons have been spending $150 to have their name immortalized on the back of a seat in the 315 seat cinema on Bank Street.

Josh Stafford of the Mayfair Theatre says the initiative to buy a seat started in 2012 as a fundraiser to purchase a new digital projector.

Since then, Stafford says they would “sell a few here and there over the years for birthday and anniversary gifts.”

After the theatre was forced to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic last week, Stafford said someone on Twitter suggested buying seats to support the theatre during the closure.

“I’m being overwhelmed with emails from people asking about buying seats,” Stafford said.

As of Saturday, 50 seats have been purchased by patrons. Seventeen seats were sold in just a few hours on Thursday.

Stafford says the $150 for each seat will help support the historic theatre during the closure. Each patron who buys a seat will have their name engraved on a seat in the theatre.

To purchase a seat and support the Mayfair Theatre, you can email Josh Stafford at [e-mail]