Most often, delays are caused by network issues, between your controller and router, or the router and the speakers. I’d certainly check the wifi interference FAQ, as well as performing a Sonos network refresh, by unplugging your Sonos devices from power (or powering them off, if battery connected), and rebooting your router. Once the router has recovered, power back on your Sonos devices. This will give them both a fresh IP address, as well as a refresh of the Sonos OS. Finally, check your system for updates, in case there are any that need to be applied. 

If that doesn’t work, I would recommend that you submit a system diagnostic within 10 minutes of experiencing this problem, and call Sonos Support to discuss it. But don’t post the resulting diagnostic number here, they get sensitive about GDPR.

There may be information included in the diagnostic that will help Sonos pinpoint the issue and help you find a solution.

When you speak directly to the Support staff, they have tools at their disposal that will allow them to give you advice specific to your network and Sonos system.

Get a third party app or have the desktop app on standby. If you are having app issues or the Sonos cloud is extra laggy these apps will still work. 
 

The last app update was in January so we are overdue for a major update so fingers crossed we get more missing features and bug fixes 

Did you try the physical play/pause button on your speakers? A “workaround”: sure; a solution though: yup. 

Or put the player on a smart switch if the on a layer controls aren’t accessible or turned off. 
Or Sonos could fix the app but it seems to be a tough ask. 

Thanks all. Unfortunately, have tried the router reboots (don’t have any other connection issues). And not going for a secondary pay app. Constantly checking updates and activating as they don’t happen automatically. It cannot be this difficult. Have just had a battle of trying to play an album and it keeps playing the song that I was playing earlier…unbelievable. Maybe Sonos are unhappy with my complaints and are on a wind up. 

If you’ve set the system to update automatically and it doesn’t, that sure smells like WiFi problems. Did you try temporarily connecting your speaker by cable? What router do you use? Did you call Sonos?