LANCASTER'S historic Grand Theatre faces an uncertain future unless it can meet the challenges of the new millennium, claim the theatre's management.

The third oldest working theatre in the country is run by amateurs and volunteers and receives no regular public funding.

But with crippling overheads and a constant struggle to balance the books, the theatre must usher in a new era if it is to survive.

"We've done very well since the fifties but at the moment we're on a treadmill and not moving forward," said the Grand's committee chairman, Ginny Scott.

"We need to look at bringing in professional acts, companies who would enjoy performing at the theatre. It wouldn't be right for rock concerts but we could tap into the artists who are currently touring the area. Because we don't get regular public funding we basically need more day-to-day business to build up our reserves. What we don't want is to pick up the Citizen in a few years time and read that the Grand Theatre has closed after 220 years."

The Grand has investigated possible lottery funding but other small amateur theatre around the country have spent thousands preparing bids and been turned down.

"The Grand is virtually unique, owned as it is by an amateur company and almost entirely reliant on volunteer labour. But I think it's time we looked at finding someone who could market the theatre and attract more professional touring companies. Although we would be unable, at this stage, to pay a salary, if we could find the right person we could pay expenses and hopefully pay a salary in the future. We could also do with a caretaker, perhaps a retired person who we could pay the going rate to."

Anyone who is interested in supporting the Grand Theatre should contact Ginny Scott on 68794.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.