Bradford's Priestley Centre is doubling up as a conference venue for firms throughout the north.

The centre, in Chapel Street, underwent a £550,000 refurbishment after it was ravaged by fire two years ago and is now being marketed as a conference centre as well as a theatre and cinema.

The art deco theatre was founded by Bradford author J B Priestley and a group of theatre lovers in the 1920s.

The centre is near both of Bradford's railway stations - the interchange and Forster Square - and close to a large car parking area off Vicar Lane.

The building, which was gutted when an electrical fault caused a fire in July 1996, re-opened in November 1997.

Now the building, which boasts two auditoria, a 290-seater main theatre and has state-of-the-art technical equipment also has a smaller 70-seater Studio theatre and the Cellar bar.

The management team at the centre expect to attract a wide range of firms to the centre and hope a spin-off will also be more theatre and cinema bookings.

Gary Scott, the centre's new manager, said: "We are actively marketing the centre as a conference venue and will shortly be hosting the first larger-scale conference for local firm Supplies Team. We have already opened up the building for use by the Department of Social Security.

"We are on Bradford Council's Conference Desk list and have sent mailshots out to firms in the area telling them about the facilities," he added.

He said he had introduced a number of ideas since he arrived to try and steer away from the idea that the centre was just a theatre which showed films.

"We can compete on price with other conference venues and during the day there are a lot of times when the building is not in use and is available for firms to use it," he added.

For further information contact Gary Scott on (01274) 820666.

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