Tickets went on sale at 12 noon and the limited number of tickets on sale always sold out. In fact Billy Elliot the Musical was the hottest ticket in town. The theatre employed a young lady to marshall the queue and stop any one pushing in. She kept a record of each person's ticket requirement so that she could tell when all the day tickets would be accounted for. This meant that she could stop people from joining the queue when thay would have no chance of getting a ticket. At this time the number of day seats was slightly greater than it is now. Many's the time that I arrived at 10.30am only to find that the queue was 'full.' There was however, a convivial atmosphere with people going off to buy coffee for their neighbours in the queue and lots of chat about the Show. The only downside was the practice of certain persons queueing for tickets that they then sold on at a profit.
Eight years on it is all so very different
. Saturday's queue was veritable torture. There were pneumatic drills tearing up the road immediately outside the theatre. At least the workforce had ear protectors! Then there was the dust! Conversation amongst the few hardy souls who had turned up was very difficult. Thankfully, tickets were put on sale as soon as the theatre opened at 10am. Anyone thinking of following this route to a BETM ticket should come prepared with earplugs and protective clothing 
.Around about 2018 the roadworks may be finished? Then just maybe, the wonderful day queue may return
