A THEATRE club is celebrating after being granted thousands of pounds to renovate parts of the building.

Wigton’s John Peel Theatre have been given £5,000 by Allerdale Council to pay for much-needed improvements and maintenance jobs.

The money has been given to the club after it approached the council for help to pay for refurbished seating, toilets and roof repairs.

Chairman of the theatre, Connie Jensen, said: “In some ways we’ve been the victim of our own success, as the seats, which we think came from the Palace Cinema in Carlisle many years ago, are now showing their age as they get so much use.

“We’re always looking to ensure our audiences get te best experience when they visit, so I’m thrilled that Allerdale are able to help us to achieve this. The money will also help pay for regular maintenance work we need on the building, which will mean we’ll be able to continue to provide shows for years to come.”

The council has a long history of supporting the theatre, having previously given £5,000 to help them secure further-funding for a complete refit of the foyer, bar and technical area in 2014.

Mayor of Allerdale John Crouch said: “I’m really pleased we’re able to help the John Peel Theatre in Wigton. It’s a great theatre space which does a lot for the local community and has really dedicated and enthusiastic members and supporters.

“We know that organisations like this have a huge impact on the local community, help our towns stay vibrant, and are a real visitor attraction. So it’s great that we can add our support.”

As a result of funding from Allerdale the theatre has been a roaring success over the years. Many new members regularly pull in larger crowds in the number of different performances throughout the year.

Work has started on an evening comedy by local writers which will run in May, this is part of Wigton’s Spring Fling Festival. The club will present Macbeth in August and are writing another pantomime.