Theatre bosses are to spend £30,000 upgrading dilapidated toilets, pictured above, at the King's Hall/Winter Gardens complex in Ilkley.

Bradford Theatres manager John Botteley said the Council-funded work will improve the front area of the building without causing disruption to any of the events.

And he hoped to hear by the end of this month if a grant application to the Arts Council had been successful to fund a study into restoring the theatre buildings to their Edwardian splendour.

A separate bid would then have to be made for finance to carry out the work needed, but he said he was confident the money would be forthcoming and reiterated his commitment to the complex.

But Ilkley Councillor Anne Hawkesworth said yesterday that she did not share Mr Botteley's upbeat mood.

"If we don't get the money I will be disappointed but not exactly surprised. The issue seems to have gone on forever. We seem to have done nothing but talk about it," said Coun Hawkesworth.

Mr Botteley has said that if the Arts Council decided against funding the study, an application for Lottery Heritage money to carry out restoration work could be made.

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