Renovation plans for local theatre set to be approved

LONG-AWAITED plans for the redevelopment of a popular Northumberland theatre are expected to be approved next week.

- JAMES ROBINSON

The £28m project for the Berwick Maltings includes a theatre, two full-time cinemas, a rehearsal space and an expanded cafe and bar.

The site - England’s most northerly arts venue - has been described as being in a “sorry state”.

The site dates back to 1990 and was developed within the remains of a 19th-century granary that was destroyed by a fire in the 1980s.

The revamp, which aims to create an “iconic multipurpose cultural and entertainment complex” is being primarily funded by the Borderlands Deal with additional contributions from the county council.

A planning report states that the building is in need of “significant improvements”.