Jobs go at troubled arts centre

Work has halted on The Public building in West Bromwich

One-in-ten jobs at a £50m arts centre in the Black Country have been axed in an effort to save the troubled project.

The Public, in West Bromwich, was scheduled to open in July but it has debts and other funding issues.

Administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) were brought in two weeks ago to help save the centre.

PwC said eight members of staff had been made redundant as part of its restructuring plans. The administrators did not rule out further job cuts.

If its future is secured, the centre will provide a venue for theatre, music, dance and creative technology.

The arts centre's launch date has now been put back until this autumn.