THE Swan Theatre is being saved - and will re-open later this year under new management.

Worcester City Council leader Stephen Inman said he had been in negotiations with people interested in taking over the theatre since the Swan board confirmed it would close down on Saturday, February 1.

He told the full council meeting last night that he would announce at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, February 25, who was going to take control.

"We have been working hard behind the scenes to turn this potential closure into a potential re-opening," he said.

Coun Inman said he had been approached by people who thought they could "have a go" at running the theatre within the budget of £54,000.

He said the new management would continue much of the work developed by the Swan board, including the youth and community work, but it would no longer be a producing theatre.

"It is that which has been a costly drain on its resources for many years," he said. "It is highly expensive and labour intensive - remove that factor and things begin to look much rosier."

Coun Inman said the amateur groups supported the proposals and would play a major part in the re-opening of the theatre, which was originally built for - and run by - amateurs.

The programme of amateur events, due to start with a production by the Great Witley Operatic Society on Tuesday, April 29, will go ahead as planned.

Labour group leader, Coun Adrian Gregson, who worked with everyone involved in the Swan to find a way to keep it open, said the ruling group should have revealed its plans earlier.

"If there are ideas being explored then it's high time they were brought out into the open rather than kept behind closed doors," he said.

Other councillors mourned the loss of a producing theatre in the city.

"The Swan Theatre was important to Worcester as it was," said Liberal Democrat councillor Sue Askin.

"As a producing theatre, it provided an alternative to theatres in the area that buy in productions.

"It was innovative and produced a lot of local cultural and artistic development that you will not get with a bought-in theatre."