A £30,000 project to revamp the lighting and sound systems used in the Palace Theatre has been given the go-ahead as a matter of urgency, writes Becky Procter.

Redditch Council has allocated the extra money on top of more than £1 million to refurbish and transform the venue.

A steering group has been set up to work on the larger scheme, which will see the Palace Theatre extended and the entrance moved to its original site.

Consultants have been drafted in to look at a number of options for the theatre and applications for more money are being made to the lottery.

Audience numbers at the theatre are up eight per cent on last year.