DARWEN Library Theatre is set to be extended to house a resident theatre company.

The move was revealed as the autumn programme was released along with plans to turn the Knott Street venue into the town's first 'cinema', regularly showing classic films. A focus group is also being to established to ensure the theatre gives people what they want.

Planning permission has been granted to transform a derelict sub-station into the extension, and work will start soon at a cost of £20,000.

Officers at Blackburn with Darwen Council, which runs the theatre, will shortly start interviewing for a suitable theatre company. The chosen group would operate from the sub-station and be commissioned for performances across the borough, including at the Library Theatre or even in schools.

Steve Rigby, director of culture, leisure and sport for the council, said: "The sub-station is structurally sound and with some refurbishment will be perfect for use by a professional resident theatre company. The project will cost around £20,000 - that will include some external funding for which we are bidding at present. We are confident that a project of this nature will secure at least some, if not all, the cost.

"The project will be income-generating as the theatre company will pay rent for the building. It will also bring employment to Darwen and with a resident theatre company in the town the benefits to the cultural life of the borough as a whole will be vastly improved.

Steve Burch, library theatre manager, said the sub-station extension was just part of plans to build on the recent successes of the theatre.

"I think it has really established itself now at the heart of the community," he said. "Now that we also have the focus group, the people of Darwen can have their say on what they want and if we are getting it right."

He said many people had requested that the theatre show films.

"We won't be able to show new releases but the type of films in demand are the classics - those going right back to black and white silent films," he said.

The autumn season starts on September 20 with a film charting the history of Darwen from 1920.