City theatre gets building boost

The new theatre will cost £17m

The Lyric Theatre has won a £250,000 boost to its building fund.

The money is to go towards facilities for young people in the new south Belfast theatre. It has come from the foundation for Sport and the Arts.

It is a welcome addition to money the Lyric has raised to pay for knocking down and rebuilding its theatre on the banks of the River Lagan.

A cheque for a the money was handed over by the film maker Lord Attenborough.

The new theatre will cost £17m and about 70% of that has been committed by public funders.

The rest is being raised by the theatre and in June a local business man donated £1m.

There is still a shortfall of £2m and the theatre hopes to raise most of that before it closes finally in the New Year.