PLAYBOX Theatre, Warwickshire's foremost theatre for young people, moved into its new home in Stratford at the weekend and launched an exciting new future for youth theatre in the town.

The theatre company, which has a main base at its own Dream Factory theatre in Warwick, has had another base in Stratford, at St Peter's Mission off Banbury Road, since 1992, which still be used as before.

But now it has enthusiastically grasped the chance to open another studio in the attic space of the old timber yard building at Cox's Yard, the riverside development near the RST.

Playbox works with about 1,500 children, including some 125 from the Stratford district. "We hope we can now involve a lot more young people in the area," said a delighted Emily Jane McGill, Associate Artistic Director for the company.

She said: "This will provide us with more opportunities to develop the work we offer. Until we're in the space, we're not making too many plans - there's the potential for all sorts of things to happen."

She said initial ideas include bringing in companies from other theatres - possibly from all over the world - to perform in Stratford, organising family events, new works and more.

"It will be family-orientated," said Emily. "A space for everybody.

We're enormously excited and privileged to have what is a beautifully flexible theatre space."

And, she added that there could be benefits of being neighbours to the RSC: "It's wonderful to be able to have such a unique facility in Stratford - hopefully there will be opportunities to collaborate."

Emily stressed: "The main thrust and spirit of our work comes from the young people themselves who are the heart of the company so it doesn't really matter what space we're in, but this new base in Stratford does make it extra special."