THE Liverpool Royal Court will begin its £10.6m redesign in February after winning £867,800 of Heritage Lottery funding.
The Liverpool theatre has been awarded £867,800 by the Heritage Lottery Fund to start phase one, which includes restoring its art deco auditorium.
The grant will enable its management team to apply for other sources of capital to complete the ambitious design. Gillian Miller, chief executive of the Royal Court Liverpool Trust, said: “This grant and vote of confidence from such a nationally important body means that we can begin to turn our plans for the building into reality.
“It is a hugely significant day in the history of the theatre.”
A further £8m still needs to be raised for the revamp, which will be carried out in four phases.
These will include the creation of a new entrance and rooftop bar-restaurant.
Ms Miller said this will be raised through match funding, funding applications, private donations and fundraising events.
A £1 ticket levy introduced in March, 2010, has so far raised £200,000.
Heritage Lottery Fund representatives visited Liverpool yesterday to reveal the good news.
Sara Hilton, head of HLF North West, said: “It is really appropriate that we are investing people’s money raised through the National Lottery into this, the people’s theatre.
“With our support, it will be conserved and renovated so that people from across the city can enjoy the Royal Court experience for many generations to come.”
